Quarterlytics / Consumer Cyclical / Restaurants / Biglari Holdings Inc.

Biglari Holdings Inc.

bh · NYSE Consumer Cyclical
Claim this profile
Ticker bh
Exchange NYSE
Sector Consumer Cyclical
Industry Restaurants
Employees 2535
← All annual reports
FY2018 Annual Report · Biglari Holdings Inc.
Sign in to download
Loading PDF…
Dear Shareholders of Biglari Holdings Inc.: 

Biglari  Holdings  is  a  collection  of  businesses.  It  resembles  a  museum  —  not  of  art  but  of 
businesses.  Rather  than  collecting  Monets,  we  collect  money  from  productive  assets.  Cash  is  cash 
regardless of its source, whether it originates from a restaurant chain or from an insurance company. 
This cash-generating philosophy, measured on the basis of intrinsic value, renders all businesses as 
economic equivalents.1  

As  a  modern  corporation  Biglari  Holdings  is  unorthodox,  for  it  is  both  highly  unified  and 
highly  decentralized.  Its  group  of  operationally  independent  companies  —  Steak  n  Shake,  Western 
Sizzlin,  First  Guard,  and  Maxim  —  is  held  together  by  Biglari  Holdings’  ownership.  The 
management of business units is decentralized, with financial authority fully concentrated under my 
control.  As  the  sole  capital  allocator,  I  employ  neither  analysts  nor  advisors.  Because  of  our 
corporate architecture, we are able to administer our enterprise of approximately 19,000 employees 
with a staff of 5 at corporate headquarters. 

Biglari Holdings’ structure improves capital allocation and empowers a far-flung patchwork 
of  businesses.  And  we  can  grow  faster  through  acquisitions  than  we  would  by  simply  expanding 
upon  our  existing  base.  For  a  corporation  devoted  to  acquisitions,  however,  it  might  seem  unusual 
that we have not made a  single purchase in the past five years. Then again, we have observed that 
many corporate acquirers confuse means and ends, namely by fixating on making acquisitions rather 
than  on  making  money  from  acquisitions.  We  make  acquisitions  for  the  sole  purpose  of  advancing 
per-share wealth.  

Yet  full  ownership  is  not  the  only  path  to  prosperity.  Partial  ownership  of  businesses  via 
the stock market often offers uncommon value vis-à-vis negotiated transactions for entire businesses. 
We  think  of  stocks  as  fractional  ownership  in  businesses.  Because  of  our  attitude  toward  equity 
markets,  viewing  stocks  from  a  businessman’s  perspective,  our  range  of  investment  options  is 
wide  and  varied.  Plainly, we view our  corporation  as  a  vehicle for deploying capital in high-return 
opportunities.  

One  of  our  competitive  advantages  is  maximum  flexibility  concerning  capital  allocation  — 
the  ability  to  allocate  in  any  category  of  investments.  We  deploy  capital  on  the  basis  of  value 
unimpeded  by  tradition  or  imperative.  A  common  corporate  imperative  is  to  reinvest  the  money 
where it was earned, which may be less than ideal — akin to a buggy-whip manufacturer reinvesting 
in  its  operations  after  the  advent  of  the  automobile.  Our  opportunistic  expansion  into  a  disparate 
collection  of  controlled  and  noncontrolled  businesses  has  led  us  to  build  Biglari  Holdings  into  a 
multifaceted  enterprise.  Over  the  last  decade,  Biglari  Holdings’  cumulative  pre-tax  earnings 
(including  profits  from  investments)  totaled  $421.4  million.  In  the  process,  we  grew  cash  and 
investments from $1.6 million to $802.0 million.  

1 Intrinsic value is measured by taking all future cash flows into and out of the business and discounting the net 

figures at an appropriate interest rate. 

1 

Here is the year-by-year development of cash and investments: 

2018 

2017 

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012 

2011 

2010 

2009 

2008 

(In Millions) 

Cash and Equivalents  $  

Marketable Securities 

48.6   $   58.6   $   75.8   $   56.5   $    124.3   $   94.6  $  
38.3  

23.8  

26.8  

27.7  

21.5 

85.5 

269.9 

115.3 

60.4  $ 

99.0  $  

47.6  $ 

51.4  $  

1.6 

The Lion Fund 

715.1 

925.3 

972.7 

734.7 

620.8 

455.3 

48.3 

38.5 

32.5 

38.6 

3.0 

– 

– 

– 

Total Investments 

$  802.0 

$ 1,011.6 

$ 1,075.3 

$   815.0 

$   766.6 

$   635.4  $   378.6  $  252.8  $   118.7  $ 

 54.4  $  

1.6 

Notes: The years 2015 through 2018 were calendar years. The years 2009 through 2014 were fiscal years that ended on the last Wednesday in September. 

The 2008 data is for the fiscal quarter ending on July 2, 2008, the nearest fiscal quarter prior to present management assuming control. 

Biglari Holdings’ investments in The Lion Fund, L.P. and The Lion Fund II, L.P. do not include other limited partners’ interests. Both partnerships 
throughout this letter will be referenced as The Lion Fund. 

The  meteoric  rise  in  investments,  combined  with  no  debt  at  the  parent  company,  has  given 
Biglari  Holdings  a  capital  structure  advantage.  Financial  strength  is  the  sine  qua  non  in  depressed 
financial  markets,  not  only  to  avoid  peril  but  to  preserve  the  financial  flexibility  needed  for 
acquisitions  and  investments.  Lucrative  opportunities  are  often  hidden  in  adversity,  requiring  a 
mixture of cash, courage, and competence to seize them. Holding ample financial resources positions 
us to be aggressive when others are mired in apprehension. 

Phil Cooley, Vice Chairman of Biglari Holdings, and I have no desire to surrender our capital 
strength in order to stretch for higher returns. From our founding we have endeavored to take risk of 
ruin to a probability of zero point zero, zero, zero.  

To  further  enhance  our  financial  base,  Biglari  Holdings  is  seeking  to  acquire  additional 
insurance companies. Unquestionably, purchasing a fine insurance company is far from easy, mainly 
because  it  is  a  CEO-intensive  business.  But  Phil  and  I  like  the  prospects  of  the  insurance  business 
and would expect to enlarge our domain so long as we associate with skilled, honorable operators.  

Our  model  of  an  ideal  acquisition  is  First  Guard:  an  exceptional  business  run  by  an 
exceptional operator. With First Guard we obtained a gem of a company along with its creator, CEO 
Edmund B. Campbell, III. There is yet another benefit: The Ed Campbells of the world are owner-
managers who cannot be recruited away. For starters, Ed has no financial need for employment, as 
his  joy  comes  from  the  love  of  achievement.  The  transaction  was  beneficial  for  him  because  it 
diversified  his  family’s  holdings  and  simplified  his  estate  planning.  Plus,  he  continues  to  run  the 
business as if he had never sold it. We were spoiled in the First Guard acquisition — and we wish to 
keep getting spoiled.  

To be sure, there are not many First Guards in the insurance business or, for that matter, in 
business  generally.  But  we  have  a  decided  edge  in  attracting  such  business  masterpieces  and  their 
master-managers:  Becoming  a  constituent  company  of  Biglari  Holdings  is  nearly  the  same  as  an 
owner-manager running his or her own show.  

We  offer  what  most  business  buyers  —  strategic  or  financial  —  do  not  or  cannot  offer: 
continuity  and  permanency.  Strategic  buyers  value  integration  based  on  the  prospect  of  capturing 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“synergies”  by  combining  the  acquiree’s  operations  with  their  own  existing  business.  We,  by 
contrast,  place  value  on  non-integration.  The  cost  is  a  lack  of  operational  synergy,  an  overrated 
concept;  conversely,  non-integration  is  underrated.  Then  there  are  the  private  equity  firms,  exit-
driven,  which  would  most  likely  saddle  the  company  with  considerable  debt.  Here  again,  we  are 
buying  with  no  such  ruinous  intentions;  rather,  we  undertake  business  acquisitions  with  the 
expectation of holding them in perpetuity. Because of our idiosyncratic approach, we are the right fit 
for many entrepreneurs.  

After  nearly  five  years  of  owning  First  Guard,  we  invite  potential  sellers  to  review  our 
dealings. To judge how one will behave in the future, it is logical to evaluate how one has behaved in 
the past. After all, a reputation is earned, not bought.  

Our corporate performance is the result of cash generated by our operating subsidiaries along 
with  our  capital  allocation  work,  which  according  to  our  criterion  must  outdo  the  S&P  500  Index. 
Over  the  past  decade  we  believe  Biglari  Holdings’  gain  in  per-share  intrinsic  value  has  far 
outstripped  the  S&P  500.  Two  components  are  critical  in  assessing  the  company’s  progress:  its 
investments and its operating businesses. 

Investments 

By  the  end  of  2018,  total  investments  (cash,  marketable  securities,  and  Biglari  Holdings’ 
investments  in  The  Lion  Fund)  amounted  to  $802.0  million;  close  to  half  of  that  sum  came  from 
investment  gains.  Our  investment  activities  are  largely  conducted  through  The  Lion  Fund,  whose 
origin dates from the year 2000 when I founded it. 

To  achieve  superior  results  in  marketable  securities,  our  reasoning  must  be  superior.  Our 
action is deliberate and infrequent, for we adhere to long-term, selective investing. By conventional 
standards  our  investment  style  —  with  long  stretches  of  inaction  —  is  anachronistic.  We  follow 
neither  the  advice  nor  the  actions  of  so-called  experts,  or  even  actual  experts.  Wall  Street,  in  the 
business of selling, needs activity, but we as owners of capital act only when it is sensible. Because 
attractive  opportunities  are  rare  and  ephemeral,  we  make  relatively  few  investments.  It  is 
incontrovertible that many large fortunes have accumulated through the concentration of capital in a 
single  corporation.  But  it  is  also  an  approach  in  which  ignorance  spawns  immense  losses;  thus, 
knowledge  is  the  best  shield  against  permanent  loss  of  capital.  A  superior  investment  offers  profit 
potential without the assumption of commensurate risk.  

For an investor to attain sizable profits in common stocks, two constituent factors are critical: 
(1)  knowing  a  company’s  long-term  business  prospects;  and  (2)  recognizing  a  divergence  between 
investor  perception  and  business  reality.  Only  when  we  hold  a  capital-allocation  edge,  with 
confidence in the correctness of our judgment, do we concentrate heavily in shares of a corporation. 
In adopting a strategy favoring concentration, we will ipso facto experience greater volatility, which 
we handle with equanimity. Why should we suffer anguish from quotational changes caused by the 
misjudgment  of  others?  Admittedly,  most  investors  would  not  be  temperamentally  equipped  to 
follow  our  approach.  We  are  comfortable  on  such  an  investment  journey.  Despite  the  fact  that  the 
road we travel is rather bumpy, it is also a road that can lead to an outstanding destination.  

At  year-end,  The  Lion  Fund’s  largest  common  stock  holding  was  4,322,218  shares  of 
Cracker  Barrel  Old  Country  Store,  Inc.  During  2018  we  decreased  our  holding  in  Cracker  Barrel 
from  19.7%  to  18.0%  of  the  company’s  outstanding  shares.  We  originally  purchased  4,737,794 

3 

shares of Cracker Barrel for $241.1 million from May 2011 through December 2012, with a dollar-
weighted  purchase  date  of  December  2011.  Here  are  some  of  Cracker  Barrel’s  figures  for  2011 
through 2018: 

Fiscal Year* 

Earnings 
per Share 

Dividends 
per Share 

2011 ........................  

$ 3.70 

$ 

.88 

2012 (53 weeks) .....  

2013 ........................  

2014 ........................  

2015 ........................  

2016 ........................  

2017 ........................  

4.47 

4.95 

5.55 

6.85 

7.91 

8.40 

2018 (53 weeks) .....  

 10.31 

*Fiscal years ended on the Friday nearest July 31.

1.15 

2.25 

3.25 

7.10 

7.70 

8.15 

8.60 

At last year’s dividend of $8.60 per share, the pre-tax yield is 16.9% on our average cost per 
share of $50.89. Along the way we have collected a total of $39.18 per share in dividends. By year-
end 2018, we received proceeds of $74.3 million from the sale of stock, $185.6 million in dividends, 
plus held a remaining stake of $690.9 million. In sum, over a seven-year period, our investment in 
Cracker Barrel of $241.1 million turned into $950.8 million in value.  

At  year-end  2018,  Biglari  Holdings  had  a  $715.1  million  investment  in  The  Lion  Fund 
partnerships, with net unrealized appreciation of $329.8 million. Biglari Holdings’ investment in the 
partnerships excludes deferred income taxes on unrealized gains. As is evident in Biglari Holdings’ 
financial  statements,  we  would  owe  taxes  of  $92.7  million  if  the  partnerships  liquidated  their 
holdings at year-end values. The tax liability, we regard, is tantamount to an interest-free loan from 
the  government  for  the  company’s  benefit.  We  are  gaining  the  upside  of  leverage  without  its 
associated downside. Hence, we control $92.7 million more in assets funded by liabilities carrying no 
cost, no covenants, and no maturity date — except the loan must be paid as assets are sold.  

Operating Businesses 

Biglari  Holdings  has  four  major  controlled  businesses,  each  100%-owned:  Steak  n  Shake, 
Western Sizzlin, First Guard, and Maxim. Over the long term, each business must be a moneymaker. 
Our  preference  is  to  plow  the  profits  into  an  unrelated  collection  of  other  businesses,  continually 
adding streams of cash with each acquisition.  

Because  we  are  driven  by  intrinsic  value,  not  by  an  income  statement,  in  our  view  our 
reported earnings do not represent a meaningful measure of our economic progress. Nevertheless, as 
a  first  step  in  evaluating  Biglari  Holdings’  performance,  the  following  table  delineates  an 
unconventional  breakdown  of  our  earnings  in  a  form  that  Phil  and  I  find  more  useful  than  the 
conventional one in our consolidated statements. 

4 

(In 000’s) 

2018 

2017 

Operating Earnings: 

Steak n Shake ....................................................... 
Western Sizzlin .................................................... 
First Guard ........................................................... 

Maxim .................................................................. 

Corporate and Other ............................................. 

Operating Earnings Before Interest and Taxes ........  
Interest Expense .......................................................  
Income Taxes ...........................................................  

Net Operating Earnings ............................................  
The Lion Fund (net of taxes) ....................................  

$ 

(10,657) 
2,046 
6,215 

1,068 

 (10,651) 

(11,979) 
11,677 
(9,808) 

(13,848) 
33,240 

$ 

431 
1,860 
4,770 

(439) 

 (15,437) 

(8,815) 
11,040 
(58,846)1 
38,991 
11,080 

Total Earnings ..........................................................  

$ 

19,392 

$  50,071 

(1)  Includes  $53.5  million  in  income  tax  benefit  derived  from  a  reduction  in  deferred  tax  liability  related  to  unrealized  gains  on 
marketable securities. 

Our  reported  earnings  are  materially  affected  by  the  volatility  in  the  carrying  value  of  The 
Lion Fund. Yet we are indifferent to variability in reported earnings triggered by the accounting of 
the  investment  partnerships.  To  correct  the  resultant  distortions  in  our  earnings  figures,  we  simply 
separate changes in the partnerships’ values from those in the operating businesses when we report 
Biglari Holdings’ earnings.  

Last  year  was  a  doozy.  Our  net  operating  loss  of  $13.8  million  in  2018  compares  with 
earnings  of  $39.0  million  in  2017.  We  have  been  consistent  in  our  view  that  such  annual  figures 
provide an incomplete evaluation of our performance. Although we do not disregard yearly figures, 
neither  do  we  regard  them  as  vital.  We  measure  business  progress  not  on  a  single  year’s  profits  or 
cash flows but rather on the present value of future cash flows. As a corollary, the logical approach 
for  shareholders  to  take  when  appraising  Biglari  Holdings  is  to  review  the  performance  of  each 
operating subsidiary.  

Restaurant Operations 

Our restaurant operations consist of Steak n Shake and Western Sizzlin for a combined 685 
restaurants.  However,  the  business  models  of  each  differ.  Steak  n  Shake  primarily  operates 
restaurants, totaling 626 locations, of which 413 are company operated. Western Sizzlin, on the other 
hand, primarily franchises restaurants, with 59 units — all but 4 are franchisee-run. 

Western Sizzlin Corporation 

Ever since Phil and I took control of Western Sizzlin in 2006, we have been wringing cash 
from  the  business  and  channeling  it  into  other  investments  with  potential  for  solid  gains.  From  the 
outset we knew Western Sizzlin was not going to knock the cover off the ball, but by inaugurating a 
cash-return approach, we turned it into a cash-generating machine. In March 2010, Biglari Holdings 

5 

acquired  Western  Sizzlin  for  a  net  purchase  price  of  $21.7  million.  Since  then,  Western  Sizzlin’s 
cash distributions to Biglari Holdings have totaled $23.1 million, which we have redeployed in more 
gainful  opportunities.  Hats  off  to  the  Western  Sizzlin  staff,  who  continue  to  do  an  outstanding  job 
creating a steady stream of cash for Biglari Holdings.  

Steak n Shake Inc. 

From 1934 through 2008, the cumulative pre-tax earnings of Steak n Shake were about $480 
million — but those earnings were squandered because capital was reinvested at unsatisfactory rates 
of return. In fact, when present management took over on August 5, 2008, Steak n Shake was losing 
$100,000 per day. We were able to turn the business around — details of which are covered in prior 
letters — and by the end of 2009 we were generating $100,000 per day. From 2009 through 2018, 
Steak n Shake’s aggregate pre-tax earnings were about $185 million, and, better yet, these earnings 
translated into an even greater sum of distributable cash.  

So much for the good news: The decade of control under current management ended much 
like  it  started  —  with  heavy  losses.  While  the  company’s  performance  in  2018  was  a  significant 
disappointment, its ten-year performance generated about $300 million of cash that was dispatched to 
Biglari Holdings, fueling the holding company’s growth.  

Here is a review of Steak n Shake’s results since 2008: 

(Dollars in 000’s) 

Net Revenue 

Operating 
Earnings 

Number of 
Customers 

Same-Store 
Sales 

2008 ......................   $  610,061 

  $  (30,754) 

85,000,000 

(7.1%) 

2009 (53 weeks) ....  

  628,726 

11,473 

91,000,000 

2010 ......................  

  662,891 

38,316 

101,000,000 

2011 ......................  

  689,325 

41,247 

105,000,000 

2012 ......................      718,010 

45,622 

110,000,000 

2013 ......................  

  737,090 

28,376 

112,000,000 

2014 ......................  

  765,600 

26,494 

114,000,000 

2015 ......................  

  805,771 

39,749 

118,000,000 

2016 ......................  

  804,423 

34,717 

116,000,000 

2017 ......................  
2018 ......................  

  792,827 
  760,565 

431 

111,000,000 
(10,657)     103,000,000 

4.1% 

7.5% 

4.2% 

3.8% 

2.2% 

2.9% 

3.6% 

(0.4%) 

(1.8%) 
(5.1%) 

Number of 
Company 
Stores at 
Year-End 

423 

412 

412 

413 

414 

415 

416 

417 

417 

415 
413 

Operating 
Earnings 
Per Store 

$  (72.7) 

27.8 

93.0 

99.9 

110.2 

68.4 

63.7 

95.3 

83.3 

1.0 
(25.8) 

Notes:  Customer  count  is  only  for  company-operated  units.  The  years  2015  through  2018  were calendar  years.  The  years 2008  through  2014 

were fiscal years that ended on the last Wednesday in September. 

Amid the Great Recession of 2008, we repositioned Steak n Shake from a dying brand in the 
casual-dining segment of the industry into one succeeding in the quick-serve restaurant business. For 
seven  consecutive  years,  we  registered  industry-leading  gains  in  customer  traffic.  But  for  the  past 

6 

three years, we have been in a decline, with same-store sales below the average for the industry. The 
work we left undone has led us in recent years to be a market laggard.  

Ever  since  we  took  control  of  Steak  n  Shake,  we  have  been  steadfast  in  our  formula  for 
success: providing the highest quality burgers and shakes at the lowest possible profit per customer 
from an ever-increasing number of customers. Despite our unwavering dedication to product quality 
and  low  prices,  we  erroneously  stayed  with  equipment  and  kitchen  design  that  was  ill-suited  for 
volume production. The effect has been high-cost, labor-intensive slow service. We failed customers 
by not being fast and friendly.  

Whereas we adopted Henry Ford’s pricing philosophy — lower price, higher volume — we 
failed to implement his highly efficient assembly line methods. To be a market leader in the fast food 
business,  we  should  have  paid  greater  heed  to  becoming,  well,  fast.  We  are  in  the  process  of 
addressing  this  misstep.  To  do  so,  we  are  overhauling  and  streamlining  production  —  that  is, 
developing a sophisticated operating and delivery system — in order to gain volume through speed. 
This principle can be summed up in the dictum of Benjamin Franklin: “Time is money.”  

Over  the  last  decade,  from  fiscal  2008  through  2018,  drive-thru  and  take-out  revenue 
increased by 51.5%, which now represents approximately half of our overall revenue. While in our 
first  decade  of  control  we  employed  an  aggressive  pricing  formula,  we  enter  our  second  decade 
determined 
inviolable. 
Consequently,  we  are  developing  a  tailor-made  system  designed  to  speed  up  service,  deliver 
consistency, and reduce labor while safeguarding our customers’ love affair with the craftsmanship 
behind our handmade, homemade creations. Our aim is to change not our products but the process by 
which we create our delicious Steakburgers and milkshakes.  

implement  advanced  production 

techniques.  No  old  method 

to 

is 

But  more  important  than  the  price  of  our  product  or  the  speed  of  our  service  is  the  way 
customers are treated. As Sam Walton aptly put it, “The customer is our boss.” Unquestionably, the 
single most important person to ensure that customers are served in a caring, hospitable manner is the 
leader  of  the  restaurant.  No  amount  of  technology  or  equipment  will  create  a  winning  restaurant 
chain;  it  takes  the  right  leadership  in  every  restaurant  unit.  We  must  be  ardent  not  only  about  the 
quality of the product but also the quality of the people who operate Steak n Shake restaurants. To 
achieve our goal, we are building a culture of ownership at the unit level. For operators to think and 
act  like  owners,  we  believe  they  must  be  owners.  In  other  words,  we  are  becoming  a  company  of 
owners.  

In order to attract such owner-operators, we are franchising all company-operated units. After 
all,  franchising  is  the  epitome  of  entrepreneurship.  But  there  is  a  caveat:  We  are  not  interested  in 
absentee owners; rather, we seek entrepreneurs with a consummate commitment to the business. In 
doing so, we aim to harness the power of enterprising operators. 

Because  talent,  not  money,  is  in  short  supply,  we  are  building  a  franchise  network  on  the 
same principle that built America: equal opportunity. In 1931, James Truslow Adams coined the term 
“the American dream” in The Epic of America: “the American dream, that dream of a land in which 
life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his 
ability  or  achievement….  It  is  not  a  dream  of  motor  cars  and  high  wages  merely,  but  a  dream  of 
social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which 

7 

they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous 
circumstances of birth or position.” 

Every man and woman is entitled to pursue the American dream. Because we favor the ideal 
of opportunity for all, we have designed a franchise system in which those who are passionate about 
serving others, and who wish to go into business for themselves but not by themselves, can fulfill the 
dream of being an owner — and with it, the prospect of becoming an American success story. Our 
system is designed for those long on ability but short on capital. 

Our  franchise  agreement  stipulates  that  the  franchisee  make  an  upfront  investment  totaling 
$10,000,  a  modest  figure  for  a  franchise  opportunity.  Because  of  our  significant  investment  in  the 
business, including the construction of the restaurant and its equipment, we assess a fee of up to 15% 
of  sales  as  well  as  50%  of  profits.  Under  our  arrangement,  a  franchise  partner  is  able  to  earn 
considerable sums, which is the way we want it. Our thinking behind such a lucrative arrangement is 
simple: The best way to create wealth for ourselves is to first create wealth for our franchise partners.  

Potential franchisees are carefully screened based on entrepreneurial attitude and ability, but 
they  become  franchise  partners  based  on  achievement.  Each  must  demonstrate  exemplary  skills 
embodying a customer-focused approach that meets the gold standard in service. Franchise partners 
are required to be hands-on operators. We limit a franchisee to a single location, based on the belief 
that focus, along with passion, determination, and persistence, will translate into excellent employee 
and customer satisfaction. 

We  will  become  a  federation  of  400  or  so  independent  entities  connected  by  a  web  of 
franchise partnerships. The new Steak n Shake system — based on an entrepreneurial culture — will 
place  trust  in  those  deserving  of  it.  Our  owner-operator  model  empowers  individuals  to  be  self-
reliant, self-directed, and self-motivated. Clearly, the tenets of our operating philosophy — quality, 
service, cleanliness, and price — are standards to which we require allegiance. By viewing franchise 
partners  as  equal  partners,  we  expect  to  build  harmonious  relationships  and  achieve  system-wide 
consistency.  

We currently have several franchise partners, and in my estimation it will take approximately 
three  years  to  complete  the  transition.  The  essence  of  our  program  is  to  simultaneously  achieve 
standardization  while  unleashing  the  entrepreneurial  spirit  of  the  operators.  We  expect  the 
combination  to  reinvent  Steak  n  Shake  as  the  best  quick-serve  restaurant  company  in  the  premium 
burger segment of the industry.  

Therefore,  we  now  offer  two  franchise  arrangements:  (1)  franchise  partner,  outlined  above; 

and (2) traditional franchisee, which is our means of growing unit count.  

To  achieve  unit  growth  without  a  major  capital  outlay,  we  employ  a  traditional  franchise-
based  model,  a  noncapital-intensive  strategy  that  generates  high-return,  annuity-like  cash  flows. 
Here,  the  major  funding  necessary  to  expand  the  brand  is  borne  by  third  parties.  Traditional 
franchising  is  a  business  that  not  only  produces  cash  instead  of  consuming  it  but  concomitantly 
reduces operating risk. 

8 

Beginning  in  2010,  we  invested  substantial  sums  to  advance  our  traditional  franchise 

business. Displayed below are the number of franchise units and the revenue derived from them: 

(Dollars in 000’s) 

Franchise 
Royalties and 
Other Fees 
(A) 

Franchise 
Marketing 
Contributions 
(B) 

Franchise 
Revenue 
(A) + (B) 

Number of 
Franchise 
Units 

2010* ..............  

$ 

4,316 

$  6,516 

$  10,832 

2018 ................  

18,828 

9,675 

28,503 

Gain ................  

$  14,512 

$  3,159 

$  17,671 

71 

213 

142 

*Franchise royalties and other fees have been adjusted to reflect the new accounting standard.

A new accounting rule in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles alters franchise revenue 
recognition in two ways: (1) franchise marketing contributions are now reflected in our revenue; and 
(2) initial franchise fees are now amortized over their term (typically 20 years) rather than recognized 
as franchise restaurants are opened. Neither change affects cash flow. As a consequence, Phil and I 
disregard  the  franchise  marketing  contributions  because  the  vast  majority  of  these  are  advertising 
dollars spent on behalf of the franchisees, as required by our contractual obligations.  

Although  Steak  n  Shake  was  founded  in  1934  in  Normal,  Illinois,  the  first  franchise  unit 
opened in 1939. From 1939 to 2010 Steak n Shake grew by an average of one franchise unit per year. 
Over the last eight years, we have added twice the number of franchise units — 142 to be exact — as 
had been built in the preceding 71 years.  

For the first 78 years, all our restaurants had table service. However, in 2012, we introduced a 
counter-service-only model, designing and developing our concepts in a modular way that embraced 
flexibility  and  made  it  adaptable  to  various  venues.  Because  of  the  modularity  of  Steak  n  Shake’s 
design,  we  are  now  growing  in  universities,  casinos,  airports,  gas  stations,  shopping  centers,  and 
other  arenas.  We  now  have  87  franchise  units  with  counter  service  only,  a  figure  that  includes 
international  operations,  which  commenced  in  2013.  After  much  experimentation,  we  have 
concentrated  our  international  resources  in  France.  Steak  n  Shake  occupies  a  niche  in  the  French 
market with 22 locations.  

For the period 2011 through 2015, the franchise business operated at a loss but intrinsic value 
advanced. We allocated capital to develop the franchising business with the expectation of creating 
greater  dollar  value  for  each  dollar  spent.  Our  traditional  franchise  business  —  domestic  and 
international combined — is now a prodigious cash generator. In 2018, franchise operations posted a 
record profit of $8.0 million. Furthermore, because international operations reached scale toward the 
end  of  2018,  thereby  turning  the  flow  of  red  ink  to  black,  we  expect  our  franchise  business  to 
generate even higher profits in 2019.  

9 

First Guard Insurance Company 

As you may have gathered by now, I am an admirer of Ed Campbell, III. It was on March 19, 
2014,  that  we  consummated  the  purchase  of  First  Guard  Insurance  Company  and  its  affiliated 
agency.  But  earlier  that  month,  while  visiting  Ed  in  Venice,  Florida,  I  met  his  father,  the  singular 
Ed Campbell, Jr., whom I call Junior. He told me that I would be pleased entering into business with 
his son Eddie, as he calls Ed III. Junior was not only dead right but — as a testament to the Campbell 
family  character  —  Ed  way  over-delivered.  Shareholders  gained  a  terrific  business  and  I  gained  a 
friend. The experience with First Guard and the Campbell family has been a true pleasure.  

First Guard is a direct underwriter of commercial truck insurance — with no agent between 
the  insurer  and  the  insured  —  rendering  the  company  a  low-cost  operator  with  a  sustainable 
competitive  advantage.  Ed  is  an  exemplar  in  the  insurance  world.  Backing  up  that  assertion,  First 
Guard has achieved underwriting  profitability for 22 consecutive years, placing it near the top of a 
rarified group of property and casualty companies.  

Shown below are the results for the last five years. Note that 2014 is presented as a full year, 
that is, as if we had owned the company throughout the year rather than from the date of acquisition: 

(Dollars in 000’s) 

Premiums 
Earned 

Underwriting 
Profit 

Combined 
Ratio* 

2014  .............................  

$ 10,757 

$ 2,293 

2015  .............................  

16,719 

2016  .............................  

22,397 

2017  .............................  

24,242 

2018  .............................  

26,465 

3,357 

4,913 

4,518 

5,634 

78.7 

79.9 

78.1 

81.4 

78.7 

*The  combined  ratio  represents  losses  incurred  plus  expenses  as  compared  to  revenue  from  premiums.
A combined ratio below 100 percent denotes an underwriting profit, whereas a ratio above 100 percent denotes 
a loss. 

First  Guard  set  an  earnings  record  in  2018.  Premium  volume  increased  by  9.2%,  but  more 
importantly,  an  underwriting  profit  of  $5.6  million  was  generated  on  $26.5  million  of  earned 
premiums. First Guard has continued to produce a first-class profit because Ed and his team continue 
to run a first-class operation.  

First  Guard’s  investment  income  has  benefited  from  a  buildup  of  invested  assets  alongside 
higher  yields  on  its  holdings  in  U.S.  Treasury  securities.  Our  policy  has  been  to  retain  all earnings 
within our insurance company for additional capital strength. We have arranged our affairs to meet 
contractual commitments under any scenario.  

First Guard’s 2018 pre-tax profit of $6.2 million was roughly three times what the company 
earned  in  the  year  preceding  our  acquisition.  With  the  aid  of  an  able,  experienced,  profit-oriented 

10 

team of executives, Ed created considerable value after he sold the company. Phil and I did not teach 
the team any skills — the company arrived with them — but rather, the parent company’s financial 
strength  provided  the  group  the  ability  to  retain  greater  levels  of  originated  premiums  and  thereby 
generate greater profits. Owning First Guard has imparted substantial knowledge about the insurance 
business to Phil and me, which we expect will greatly benefit us in future insurance acquisitions. 

Maxim Inc. 

In 2018, Maxim earned $1.1 million pre-tax, its first seven-figure profit in over a decade.  

When we purchased Maxim in February 2014, the company was nearing its demise. Its high 
fixed cost, inherent in the magazine business, was destined to drain cash unremittingly. But we did 
not purchase Maxim to be in the magazine business per se; rather, we purchased an underexploited 
brand  with  the  intention  of  generating  nonmagazine  revenue,  notably  through  licensing,  a  cash-
generating business related to consumer products, services, and events. We found safety in a bargain 
purchase price along with the opportunity to convert a magazine company into a profitable business 
built around the Maxim name.  

We have addressed the cost structure of the traditional side of the business, print publishing, 
while creating a sophisticated periodical that is aspirational and inspirational. We greatly amplified 
the  quality  of  paper,  photography,  and  content.  To  augment  Maxim’s  relevance,  we  have  also 
become a reader-focused rather than an advertiser-focused publication. In sum, we have repositioned 
the brand with a luxury lifestyle magazine and an online platform that together provide a launching 
pad for high-profit lines of business.  

Our pathway to profit emanated from the development of a new, sustainable business model. 
The  ability  to  build  profits  will  rest  mainly  on  our  licensing  business.  Because  the  nature  of  the 
licensing  business  is  predicated  on  projects  that  materialize  with  irregularity,  near-term  results  are 
inevitably indeterminate. Nevertheless, Maxim is now a solidly profitable company.  

Shareholder Communications 

My  communications  with  shareholders  are  generally  limited  to  the  annual  report  and  the 
annual  meeting.  We  do  not  provide  earnings  guidance,  nor  do  we  hold  quarterly  conference  calls 
because neither activity would be consistent with our ethos and style of management. Moreover, we 
wish to provide all shareholders simultaneously with the same information. One-on-one meetings are 
neither productive nor practicable.  

Past Chairman’s Letters are also essential to help you gain more knowledge of our business. 
These letters can be easily accessed on our website, biglariholdings.com. To keep you abreast of the 
company,  we  will  issue  press  releases  concerning  2019  quarterly  results  after  the  market  closes  on 
May  3,  August  2,  and  November  1.  The  2019  annual  report  will  be  posted  on  our  website  on 
Saturday, February 22, 2020.  

Our annual meeting will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday, April 25, 2019 in New York City at 
the  St.  Regis  Hotel.  The  meeting  is  just  for  our  owners;  to  attend,  you  must  own  shares  and  show 
proof thereof. As an owner, you may bring up to two pre-registered guests with you. The bulk of the 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
gathering is a question-and-answer session that usually lasts about five hours, covering myriad topics 
on shareholders’ minds. Phil and I look forward to spending that time answering your questions. We 
find the annual meeting to be an effective channel to communicate with you. 

* * * 

As an entrepreneurial enterprise we hold a disdain for bureaucracy. Our unorthodox approach 
stems  from  thinking  and  acting  independently  in  pursuit  of  value  creation.  What  interests  us  is 
profits,  not  popularity.  Profit-making  opportunities  emerge  when  fear,  folly,  or  financial  trouble 
dominate  the  scene.  Instead  of  following  trends  written  on  the  wind,  we  rely  on  our  judgment, 
fortified by experience, to shape Biglari Holdings for superior returns on capital.  

Sardar Biglari 
Chairman of the Board 

February 22, 2019 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 UNITED STATES 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
Washington, D.C. 20549 

FORM 10-K 

  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT 
OF 1934 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 

or 

  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE 
ACT OF 1934 

For the transition period from ____ to ____ 

Commission file number 001-38477 

BIGLARI HOLDINGS INC. 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 

INDIANA 
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) 

17802 IH 10 West, Suite 400 
San Antonio, Texas 
(Address of principal executive offices) 

82-3784946 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 

78257 
(Zip Code) 

(210) 344-3400 
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: 

Title of each class 
Class A Common Stock, no par value 
Class B Common Stock, no par value 

Name of each exchange on which registered 
New York Stock Exchange 
New York Stock Exchange 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:  
NONE 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes 

 No 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes 

 No  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the 
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the 
past 90 days. Yes  No 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation 
S-T (Section 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes  No 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of 
registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-
K.  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging 
growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company”  and an “emerging growth company” in Rule 
12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one): 

Large accelerated filer  

Accelerated filer  

Non-accelerated filer   

Smaller reporting company  

Emerging growth company   

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised 
financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes  No 

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2018 was approximately $257,082,107. 

Number of shares of common stock outstanding as of February 18, 2019: 

Class A common stock –  
Class B common stock –  

   206,864 
2,068,640   

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE 
Portions of the Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement to be filed for its 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this 
Form 10-K. 

13 

 
  
 
 
 
    
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table of Contents 

Part I 

  Page No. 

Item 1.  Business  ...........................................................................................................................................................    
Item 1A.  Risk Factors  ....................................................................................................................................................    
Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments  ..........................................................................................................................    
Properties  ........................................................................................................................................................    
Item 2. 
Item 3.  Legal Proceedings  ...........................................................................................................................................    
Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures ..................................................................................................................................   

15   
17   
22   
23  
24   
24   

Part II 

Item 5.  Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of 

Equity Securities  .............................................................................................................................................  
Selected Financial Data  ..................................................................................................................................    
Item 6. 
Item 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations  ...................    
Item 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk  ....................................................................    
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data ...........................................................................................    
Item 8. 
   Consolidated Balance Sheets  .........................................................................................................................   
   Consolidated Statements of Earnings  ............................................................................................................   
   Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income  ....................................................................................   
   Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows  .......................................................................................................   
   Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity  ......................................................................   
   Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements  .................................................................................................   
Item 9.  Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure  ..................    
Item 9A.  Controls and Procedures  ...............................................................................................................................    
Item 9B.  Other Information  ..........................................................................................................................................    

24   
26   
27   
37   
38  
40   
41   
   41   
42   
43   
44  
67   
67   
67   

Part III 

Item 10.  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance  .........................................................................    
Item 11.  Executive Compensation  ................................................................................................................................    
Item 12.  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder 

Matters  .........................................................................................................................................................  
Item 13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence  ........................................    
Item 14.  Principal Accountant Fees and Services  .......................................................................................................    

67   
67   

67   
67   
67   

Signatures  ...........................................................................................................................................................................    

68   

14 

 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
   
 
 
 
   
 
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
   
 
Item 1. 

Business 

Part I 

Biglari Holdings Inc. is a  holding company owning  subsidiaries engaged in a number of diverse business activities,  including 
media,  property  and  casualty  insurance,  and  restaurants.  The  Company’s  largest  operating  subsidiaries  are  involved  in  the 
franchising and operating of restaurants. Biglari Holdings is founded and led by Sardar Biglari, Chairman and Chief Executive 
Officer of Biglari Holdings and its major operating subsidiaries. The Company’s long-term objective is to maximize  per-share 
intrinsic value.  All major operating, investment, and capital allocation decisions are made for the Company and its subsidiaries by 
Mr. Biglari.  

As of December 31, 2018, Mr. Biglari’s beneficial ownership was approximately 56.9% of the Company’s outstanding Class A 
common stock and 54.3% of the Company’s outstanding Class B common stock. 

Issuance of Dual Class Common Stock 
On  March  5,  2018,  the  Company  entered  into  an  agreement  with  its  predecessor  registrant,  now  known  as  OBH  Inc.  (the 
“Predecessor”), and BH Merger Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Pursuant to the agreement on April 30, 
2018, BH Merger Company merged with and into the Predecessor, with the Predecessor continuing as the surviving corporation 
and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.  

As a result of the April 30, 2018 transaction, the Company has two classes of common stock, designated Class A common stock 
and Class B common stock. A share of Class B common stock has economic rights equivalent to 1/5th of a share of Class A common 
stock; however, Class B common stock has no voting rights. Upon completion of the transaction, every ten (10) shares of common 
stock outstanding on April 30, 2018 converted into (i) ten (10) shares of Class B common stock and (ii) one (1) share of Class A 
common stock.  

Since May 1, 2018, the shares of the Company’s Class A common stock have traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) 
under the ticker symbol “BH.A” and the shares of the Company’s Class B common stock have traded on the NYSE under the 
ticker symbol “BH”. 

Restaurant Operations 
The Company’s restaurant operations are conducted through two subsidiaries: Steak n Shake Inc. (“Steak n Shake”) and Western 
Sizzlin Corporation (“Western Sizzlin”). As of December 31, 2018, Steak n Shake had 413 company-operated restaurants and 213 
franchise units. Western Sizzlin had 4 company-operated restaurants and 55 franchise units. 

Steak n Shake is engaged in the ownership, operation, and franchising of Steak n Shake restaurants. Founded in 1934 in Normal, 
Illinois, Steak n Shake is a classic American brand serving premium burgers and milkshakes. Steak n Shake is headquartered in 
Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Western Sizzlin is engaged primarily in the franchising of restaurants. Founded in 1962 in  Augusta, Georgia, Western Sizzlin 
offers signature steak dishes as well as other classic American menu items. Western Sizzlin also operates two other concepts: Great 
American Steak & Buffet, and Wood Grill Buffet. Western Sizzlin is headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia. 

Operations 
A typical restaurant’s management team consists of a general manager, a restaurant manager and other managers depending on the 
operating complexity and sales volume of the restaurant. Each restaurant’s general manager has primary responsibility for the day-
to-day operations of his or her unit.  Restaurant operations obtain food products and supplies from independent national distributors. 
Purchases are centrally negotiated to ensure uniformity in product quality.  

Franchising 
Restaurant  operations’  franchising  program  extends  the  brands  to  areas  in  which  there  are  no  current  development  plans  for 
company  stores.  The  expansion  plans  include  seeking  qualified  new  franchisees  and  expanding  relationships  with  current 
franchisees.  Restaurant  operations  typically  seek  franchisees  with  both  the  financial  resources  necessary  to  fund  successful 
development  and  significant  experience  in  the  restaurant/retail  business.  Both  restaurant  chains  assist  franchisees  with  the 
development  and  ongoing  operation  of  their  restaurants.  In  addition,  personnel  assist  franchisees  with  site  selection,  approve 
restaurant sites, and provide prototype plans, construction support and specifications.  Restaurant operations’ staff provides both 
on-site and off-site instruction to franchise restaurant management and associates.  

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In addition to the traditional franchise  arrangements described above, Steak n Shake initiated  a new franchise partner program 
during 2018 to transition company-operated restaurants to such franchisees. The franchise agreement stipulates that the franchisee 
make an upfront investment totaling $10,000. Steak n Shake, as the franchisor, assesses a fee of up to 15% of sales as well as 50% 
of profits. Potential franchisees are screened based on entrepreneurial attitude and ability, but they become franchise partners based 
on achievement. Each must meet the gold standard in service. Franchise partners are required to be hands-on operators. We limit 
a franchisee to a single location.   

International 
We  have  a  corporate  office  in  Monaco  and  an  international  organization  with  personnel  in  various  functions  to  support  our 
international business. As of December 31, 2018, we operated three company locations in Europe to promote the Steak n Shake 
brand  to  prospective  franchisees.  Similar  to  our  traditional  domestic  franchise  agreements,  a  typical  international  franchise 
development agreement includes development and franchise fees in addition to subsequent royalty fees based on the gross sales of 
each restaurant. As of December 31, 2018, there were a total of 29 franchise units in Europe and the Middle East. 

Competition 
The restaurant business is one of the  most intensely competitive  industries.  As there are virtually no barriers to entry into the 
restaurant business, competitors may include national, regional and local establishments. There may be established competitors 
with financial and other resources that are greater than the Company’s  restaurant operations capabilities. Restaurant businesses 
compete on the basis of price, menu, food quality, location, and customer service. The restaurant business is often affected  by 
changes in consumer tastes and by national, regional, and local economic conditions.  The performance of individual restaurants 
may be impacted by factors such as traffic patterns, demographic trends, weather conditions, and competing restaurants.  

Government regulations 
The Company is subject to various global, federal, state and local laws affecting its restaurant operations. Each of the restaurants 
must comply with licensing and regulation by a number of governmental authorities, i.e., health, sanitation, safety and fire agencies 
in  the  jurisdiction  in  which  the  restaurant  is  located.  Various  federal  and  state  labor  laws  govern  our  relationship  with  our 
employees, e.g., minimum wage, overtime pay, unemployment tax, and workers’ compensation. Federal state and local government 
agencies have established or are in the process of establishing regulations requiring that we disclose nutritional information. To 
date, none of the Company’s restaurant operations have been materially adversely affected by such laws or been affected by any 
difficulty, delay or failure to obtain required licenses or approvals. 

Trademark and licenses 
The  name  and  reputation  of  Steak  n  Shake  is  a  material  asset  and  management  protects  it  and  other  service  marks  through 
appropriate registrations.   

Insurance Business 
Our insurance business is composed of First Guard Insurance Company and its agency, 1st Guard Corporation (collectively “First 
Guard”).  First  Guard  is  a  direct  underwriter  of  commercial  truck  insurance,  selling  physical  damage  and  nontrucking  liability 
insurance to truckers. First Guard is headquartered in Venice, Florida.  

First Guard competes for truck insurance with other companies. The commercial truck insurance business is highly competitive in 
the  areas  of  price  and  service.  Vigorous  competition  is  provided  by  large,  well-capitalized  companies  and  by  small  regional 
insurers. First Guard’s insurance products are marketed primarily through direct response methods via the Internet or by telephone. 
First Guard’s cost-efficient direct response marketing methods enable it to be a low-cost truck insurer. First Guard uses its own 
claim staff to manage claims. Seasonal variations in First Guard’s insurance business are not significant. However, extraordinary 
weather conditions or other factors may have a significant effect upon the frequency or severity of claims. 

The  insurance  business  is  stringently  regulated  by  state  insurance  departments.  First  Guard  operates  under  licenses  issued  by 
various insurance authorities. Such supervision and regulation include matters relating to authorized lines of business, capital and 
surplus requirements, licensing of insurers, investments, the filing of annual and other financial reports prepared on the basis of 
Statutory  Accounting  Principles,  the  filing  and  form  of  actuarial  reports,  dividends,  and  a  variety  of  other  financial  and  non-
financial matters.  

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Media and Licensing Business 
Maxim’s business lies principally in media and licensing. Maxim is headquartered in New York City, New York. 

Maxim competes for licensing business with other companies. The nature of the licensing business is predicated on projects that 
materialize  with  irregularity.  In  addition,  publishing  is  a  highly  competitive  business.  The  Company's  magazines  and  related 
publishing products and services compete with other mass media, including the Internet and many other leisure-time activities. 
Competition  for  advertising  dollars  is  based  primarily  on  advertising  rates,  circulation  levels,  reader  demographics,  advertiser 
results, and sales team effectiveness.  

Maxim products are marketed under various registered brand names, including, but not limited to, “MAXIM®” and “Maxim®”. 

Investments 
The Company and its subsidiaries have invested in The Lion Fund, L.P. and The Lion Fund II, L.P. (collectively, “the investment 
partnerships”). The investment partnerships operate as private investment funds. As of December 31, 2018, the fair value of the 
investments  was  $715.1  million.  These  investments  are  subject  to  a  rolling  five-year  lock-up  period  under  the  terms  of  the 
respective partnership agreements.   

Employees 
The Company employs 18,684 persons. 

Additional information with respect to Biglari Holdings’ businesses 
Information related to our reportable segments may be found in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K. 

Biglari  Holdings  maintains  a  website  (www.biglariholdings.com)  where  its  annual  reports,  press  releases,  interim  shareholder 
reports  and  links  to  its  subsidiaries’  websites  can  be  found.    Biglari  Holdings’  periodic  reports  filed  with  the  Securities  and 
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which include Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, Form 8-K and amendments thereto, may be accessed 
by the public free of charge from the SEC and through Biglari Holdings’ website. In addition, corporate governance documents 
such as Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Conduct, Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee Charter and 
Audit  Committee  Charter  are  posted  on  the  Company’s  website  and  are  available  without  charge  upon  written  request.  The 
Company’s website and the information contained therein or connected thereto are not intended to be incorporated into this report 
on Form 10-K. 

Item 1A. 

Risk Factors  

Biglari Holdings and its subsidiaries (referred to herein as “we,”  “us,” “our,” or similar expressions) are subject to certain risks 
and uncertainties in its business operations which are described below. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only 
risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known or that are currently deemed immaterial may also impair our 
business operations. 

Risks relating to Biglari Holdings 

We are dependent on our Chairman and CEO. 
Our success depends on the services of Sardar Biglari, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. All major operating, investment, 
and capital allocation decisions are made for the Company and its subsidiaries by Mr. Biglari. If for any reason the services of Mr. 
Biglari were to become unavailable, a material adverse effect on our business could occur.  

Sardar Biglari, Chairman and CEO, beneficially owns over 50% of our outstanding shares of common stock, enabling Mr. 
Biglari to exert control over matters requiring shareholder approval.  
Mr. Biglari has the ability to control the outcome of matters submitted to our shareholders for approval, including the election or 
removal of directors, the amendment of our certificate of incorporation or bylaws,  along with other significant transactions.  In 
addition, Mr. Biglari has the ability to control the management and affairs of the Company. This control position may conflict with 
the interests of some or all of the Company’s passive shareholders, and reduce the possibility of a merger proposal, tender offer or 
proxy contest for the removal of directors. 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the New York Stock Exchange rules and thus can rely on exemptions 
from certain corporate governance requirements.  
Because Mr. Biglari beneficially owns more than 50% of the Company’s outstanding voting stock, we are considered a “controlled 
company”  pursuant  to  New  York  Stock  Exchange  rules.  As  a  result,  we  are  not  required  to  comply  with  certain  director 
independence and board committee requirements. 

Our historical growth rate is not indicative of our future growth. 
When  evaluating  our  historical  growth  and  prospects  for  future  growth,  it  is  important  to  consider  that  while  our  business 
philosophy has remained constant our mix of business has changed and will continue to change. Our business model makes it 
difficult to assess our prospects for future growth.  

Biglari Holdings’ access to capital is subject to restrictions that may adversely affect its ability to satisfy its cash requirements 
or implement its growth strategy. 
We are a holding company and are largely dependent upon dividends and other sources of funds from our subsidiaries in order to 
meet our needs. Steak n Shake’s credit facility contains restrictions on its ability to pay dividends to Biglari Holdings. In addition, 
the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to pay dividends to Biglari Holdings is regulated by state insurance laws, which limit the 
amount of, and in certain circumstances may prohibit the payment of, cash dividends. Furthermore, as a result of our substantial 
investments in The Lion Fund, L.P. and The Lion Fund II, L.P., investment partnerships controlled by Mr. Biglari, our access to 
capital is restricted by the terms of their respective partnership agreements, as described more fully below. There is also a high 
likelihood that we will make additional investments in these investment partnerships. Taken together, these restrictions may result 
in our having insufficient funds to satisfy our cash requirements. As a result, we may need to look to other sources of capital which 
may be more expensive or may not be available. 

Competition. 
Each of our operating businesses faces intense competitive pressure within the markets in which they operate. Competition may 
arise domestically as  well as  internationally. Accordingly, future operating results  will depend to some degree on whether our 
operating units are successful in protecting or enhancing their competitive advantages. If our operating businesses are unsuccessful 
in these efforts, our periodic operating results may decline from current levels in the future. We also highlight certain competitive 
risks in the sections below.  

Unfavorable domestic and international economic, societal and political conditions could hurt our operating businesses. 
To the extent that the economy worsens for a prolonged period of time, one or more of our significant operations could be materially 
harmed. In addition, our restaurant operations depend on having access to borrowed funds through the capital markets at reasonable 
rates. To the extent that access to credit is restricted or the cost of funding increases, our business could be adversely affected. 

Our operating businesses face a variety of risks associated with doing business in foreign markets. 
There is no assurance that our international operations will remain profitable. Our international operations are subject to all of the 
risks associated with our domestic operations, as well as a number of additional risks, varying substantially country by country. 
These include, inter alia, international economic and political conditions, corruption, terrorism, social and ethnic unrest, foreign 
currency fluctuations, differing cultures and consumer preferences. Our expansion into international markets could also create risks 
to our brands. 

In addition, we may become subject to foreign governmental regulations that impact the way we do business with our international 
franchisees and vendors. These include antitrust and tax requirements, anti-boycott regulations, international trade regulations, the 
USA Patriot Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and applicable local law. Failure to comply with any such legal requirements 
could subject us to monetary liabilities and other sanctions, which could harm our business and our financial condition. 

Potential changes in law or regulations may have a negative impact on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock. 
In prior years, bills have been introduced in Congress that, if enacted, would have prohibited the listing of common stock on a 
national  securities  exchange  if  such  common  stock  was  part  of  a  class  of  securities  that  has  no  voting  rights  or  carries 
disproportionate voting rights. Although these bills have not been acted upon by Congress, there can be no assurance that such a 
bill (or a modified version thereof) will not be introduced in Congress in the future. Legislation or other regulatory developments 
could make the shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock ineligible for trading on the NYSE or other national 
securities exchanges.  

18 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property, which could decrease the value of our brand and products. 
The success of our business depends on the continued ability to use the existing trademarks, service marks, and other components 
of our brand to increase brand awareness and further develop branded products. While we take steps to protect our intellectual 
property, our rights to our trademarks could be challenged by third parties or our use of these trademarks may result in a liability 
for trademark infringement, trademark dilution, or unfair competition, adversely affecting our profitability. We may also become 
subject to these risks in the international markets in which we operate and in which we plan to expand.  Any impairment of our 
intellectual property or brands, including due to changes in U.S. or foreign intellectual property laws or the absence of effective 
legal protections or enforcement measures, could adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.  

Litigation could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, cash flows and results of operations. 
We are or may be from time to time a party to various legal actions, investigations and other proceedings brought by employees, 
consumers, policyholders, suppliers, shareholders, government agencies or other third parties in connection with matters pertaining 
to our business, including related to our investment activities. The outcome of such matters is often difficult to assess or quantify 
and the cost to defend future proceedings may be significant. Even if a claim is unsuccessful or is not fully pursued, the negative 
publicity surrounding any negative allegation regarding our Company, our business or our products could adversely  affect our 
reputation. While we believe that the ultimate outcome of routine legal proceedings individually and in the aggregate will not have 
a material impact on our financial position, we cannot assure that an adverse outcome on, or reputational damage from, any of 
these matters would not, in fact, materially impact our business and results of operations for the period when these matters are 
completed or otherwise resolved. 

Certain agreements with our Chairman and CEO may have an adverse effect on our financial position. 
We have entered into a license agreement with Sardar Biglari, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, under which Mr. Biglari has 
granted the Company an exclusive license to use his name when connected to the provision of certain products and services, as 
well as a sublicense agreement with Steak n Shake that, inter alia, grants Steak n Shake the right to use the trademark “Steak n 
Shake by Biglari.” In the event of a change of control of the Company or Mr. Biglari’s termination without cause or resignation 
following specified occurrences, including (1) his removal as Chairman of the Board or Chief Executive Officer or (2)  his not 
maintaining sole capital allocation authority, Mr. Biglari would be entitled to receive revenue-based royalty payments related to 
the usage of his name under the terms of the license agreement for a defined period of no less than five years. In addition, we have 
an incentive agreement with Mr. Biglari, in which he is entitled to receive performance-based annual incentive payments contingent 
on the growth of the Company’s adjusted book value in each fiscal year. 

Risks Relating to Our Restaurant Operations 

Our restaurant operations face intense competition from a wide range of industry participants. 
The restaurant business is one of the most competitive industries. As there are virtually no barriers to entry into the restaurant 
business, competitors may include national, regional and local establishments. There may be established competitors with financial 
and other resources that are greater than the Company’s restaurant operations capabilities. Restaurant businesses compete on the 
basis of price, menu, food quality, location, and customer service. The restaurant business is often affected by changes in consumer 
tastes and by national, regional, and local economic conditions. The performance of individual restaurants may be impacted by 
factors such as traffic patterns, demographic trends, weather conditions, and competing restaurants. Additional factors that may 
adversely affect the restaurant industry include, but are not limited to, food and wage inflation, safety, and food-borne illness. 

Changes in economic conditions may have an adverse impact on our restaurant operations. 
Our restaurant operations are subject to normal economic cycles affecting the economy in general or the restaurant industry in 
particular. The restaurant industry has been affected by economic factors, including the deterioration of global, national, regional 
and  local  economic  conditions,  declines  in  employment  levels,  and  shifts  in  consumer  spending  patterns.  The  disruptions 
experienced in the global economy and volatility in the financial markets have reduced, and may continue to reduce, consumer 
confidence in the economy, negatively affecting consumer restaurant spending, which could be harmful to our financial position 
and results of operations. As a result, decreased cash flow generated from our business may adversely affect our financial position 
and our ability to fund our operations. In addition, macroeconomic disruptions could adversely impact the availability of financing 
for our franchisees’ expansions and operations. 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our  cash  flows  and  financial  position  could  be  negatively  impacted  if  we  are  unable  to  comply  with  the  restrictions  and 
covenants in Steak n Shake’s debt agreements. 
Covenants in Steak n Shake’s credit facility include restrictions on, among other things, its ability to incur additional indebtedness 
and to make distributions to the Company. Steak n Shake’s ability to make payments on its credit facility and to fund operations 
depends on its ability to generate cash, which is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, regulatory and other factors 
that are beyond our control. Steak n Shake may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations to service this debt or to fund its 
other liquidity needs. Steak n Shake’s failure to service its debt could constitute an event of default that, if not cured or waived, 
could result, among other things, in the acceleration of their indebtedness, which could negatively impact our operations. However, 
neither the Company nor any of our affiliates provide any guarantees of Steak n Shake’s debts. 

Fluctuations in commodity and energy prices and the availability of commodities, including beef and dairy, could affect our 
restaurant business. 
The cost, availability and quality of ingredients restaurant operations use to prepare their food is subject to a range of factors, many 
of  which  are  beyond  their  control.  A  significant  component  of  our  restaurant  business’  costs  is  related  to  food  commodities, 
including beef and dairy products, which can be subject to significant price fluctuations due to seasonal shifts, climate conditions, 
industry  demand,  changes  in  commodity  markets,  and  other  factors.  If  there  is  a  substantial  increase  in  prices  for  these  food 
commodities,  our  results  of  operations  may  be  negatively  affected.  In  addition,  our  restaurants  are  dependent  upon  frequent 
deliveries of perishable food products that meet certain specifications.  Shortages or interruptions in the supply of perishable food 
products  caused  by  unanticipated  demand,  problems  in  production  or  distribution,  disease  or  food-borne  illnesses,  inclement 
weather, or other conditions  could adversely affect the availability, quality, and cost of ingredients,  which  would likely lower 
revenues, damage our reputation, or otherwise harm our business. 

Adverse weather conditions or losses due to casualties could negatively impact our operating performance. 
Property damage caused by casualties and natural disasters, instances of inclement weather, flooding, hurricanes, fire, and other 
acts of nature can adversely impact sales in several ways. Many of Steak n Shake’s and Western Sizzlin’s restaurants are located 
in the Midwest and Southeast portions of the United States. During the first and fourth quarters, restaurants in the Midwest may 
face harsh winter weather conditions. During the third and fourth quarters, restaurants in the Southeast may experience hurricanes 
or tropical storms. Our sales and operating results may be negatively affected by these harsh weather conditions, which could make 
it more difficult for guests to visit our restaurants, necessitate the closure of restaurants, cause physical damage, or lead to a shortage 
of employees. 

We are subject to health, employment, environmental, and other government regulations, and failure to comply with existing 
or future government regulations could expose us to litigation or penalties, damage our reputation, and lower profits. 
We are subject to various global, federal, state, and local laws and regulations affecting our restaurant operations. Changes in 
existing laws, rules and regulations applicable to us, or increased enforcement by governmental authorities, may require us to incur 
additional  costs  and  expenses  necessary  for  compliance.  If  we  fail  to  comply  with  any  of  these  laws,  we  may  be  subject  to 
governmental action or litigation, and our reputation could be accordingly harmed. Injury to our reputation would, in turn, likely 
reduce revenues and profits. 

The development and construction of restaurants is subject to compliance with applicable zoning, land use, and environmental 
regulations. Difficulties in obtaining, or failure to obtain, the required licenses or approvals could delay or prevent the development 
of a new restaurant in a particular area. 

In recent years, there has been an increased legislative, regulatory, and consumer focus on nutrition and advertising practices in 
the food industry. As a result, restaurant operations may become subject to regulatory initiatives in the area of nutrition disclosure 
or advertising, such as requirements to provide information about the nutritional content of our food products, which could increase 
expenses. The operation of the Steak n Shake and Western Sizzlin franchise system is also subject to franchise laws and regulations 
enacted by a number of states, and to rules promulgated by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Any future legislation regulating 
franchise relationships may negatively affect our operations, particularly our relationship with franchisees. Failure to comply with 
new or existing franchise laws and regulations in any jurisdiction or to obtain required government approvals could result in a ban 
or  temporary  suspension  on  future  franchise  sales.  Further  national,  state  and  local  government  initiatives,  such  as  mandatory 
health insurance coverage, or proposed increases in minimum wage rates could adversely affect our business. 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Risks Relating to Our Investment Activities 

Our investment activities are conducted primarily through outside investment partnerships, The Lion Fund, L.P. and The Lion 
Fund II, L.P., which are controlled by Mr. Biglari. 
Our investment activities are conducted mainly through these outside investment partnerships. Under the terms of their partnership 
agreements, each contribution made by the Company to the investment partnerships is subject to a five-year lock-up period, and 
any distribution upon our withdrawal of funds will be paid out over a two-year period (and may be paid in-kind rather than in cash, 
thus increasing the difficulty  of liquidating these investments).  As a result of  these provisions and our consequent inability to 
access this capital for a defined period, our capital invested in the investment partnerships may be subject to an increased risk of 
loss of all or a significant portion of value, and we may become unable to meet our capital requirements.  There is a high likelihood 
that we will make additional investments in these investment partnerships in the future. 

We also have a services agreement with Biglari Capital Corp., the general partner of the investment partnerships (“Biglari Capital”), 
and Biglari Enterprises LLC (collectively, the “Biglari Entities”), in which the Company will pay a fixed fee to the Biglari Entities 
for business and administrative-related services. The Biglari Entities are owned by Mr. Biglari. There can be no assurance that the 
fees paid will be commensurate with the benefits received. 

The incentive allocation to which Mr. Biglari, as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Biglari Capital, is entitled under the 
terms of the respective partnership agreements is equal to 25% of the net profits allocated to the limited partners in excess of a 6% 
hurdle rate over the previous high-water mark.     

Our investments are unusually concentrated and fair values are subject to a loss in value. 
Our investments are predominantly held through the investment partnerships, which generally invest in common stocks. These 
investments are largely concentrated in the common stock of one investee, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.  A significant 
decline in the major values of these investments may produce a large decrease in our consolidated shareholders’ equity and can 
have a material adverse effect on our consolidated book value per share and earnings. 

We are subject to the risk of possibly becoming an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. 
We  run  the  risk  of  inadvertently  becoming  an  investment  company,  which  would  require  us  to  register  under  the  Investment 
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Registered investment companies are subject to extensive, 
restrictive and potentially adverse regulations relating to, among other things, operating methods, management, capital structure, 
dividends  and  transactions  with  affiliates.  Registered  investment  companies  are  not  permitted  to  operate  their  business  in  the 
manner in which we operate our business, nor are registered investment companies permitted to have many of the relationships 
that we have with our affiliated companies. 

To avoid becoming and registering as an investment company under the Investment  Company  Act,  we operate  as an ongoing 
enterprise, with approximately 19,000 employees, along with an asset base from which to pursue acquisitions. Furthermore, Section 
3(c)(3) of the Investment Company Act excludes insurance companies from the definition of “investment company”. Because we 
monitor the value of our investments and structure transactions accordingly, we may structure transactions in a less advantageous 
manner than if we did not have Investment Company Act concerns, or we may avoid otherwise economically desirable transactions 
due to those concerns. In addition, adverse developments with respect to our ownership of certain of our operating subsidiaries, 
including significant appreciation or depreciation in the market value of certain of our publicly traded holdings, could result in our 
inadvertently becoming an investment company. If it were established that we were an investment company, there would be a risk, 
among other material adverse consequences, that we could become subject to monetary penalties or injunctive relief, or both,  in 
an action brought by the SEC, that we would be unable to enforce contracts with third parties or that third parties could seek to 
obtain rescission of transactions with us undertaken during the period it was established that we were an unregistered investment 
company. 

Risks Relating to Our Insurance Business 

Our success depends on our ability to underwrite risks accurately and to charge adequate rates to policyholders. 
Our results of operations depend on our ability to underwrite and set rates accurately for risks assumed. A primary role of the 
pricing function is to ensure that rates are adequate to generate sufficient premiums to pay losses, loss adjustment expenses, and 
underwriting expenses.  

21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our  insurance  business  is  vulnerable  to  significant  catastrophic  property  loss,  which  could  have  an  adverse  effect  on  its 
financial condition and results of operations. 
Our insurance business faces a significant risk of loss in the ordinary course of its business for property damage resulting  from 
natural disasters, man-made catastrophes and other catastrophic events. These events typically increase the frequency and severity 
of commercial property claims. Because catastrophic loss events are by their nature unpredictable, historical results of operations 
may not be indicative of future results of operations, and the occurrence of claims from catastrophic events may result in significant 
volatility in our insurance business’ financial condition and results of operations from period to period. We attempt to manage our 
exposure to these events through reinsurance programs, although there is no assurance we will be successful in doing so. 

Our insurance business is subject to extensive existing state, local and foreign governmental regulations that restrict its ability 
to do business and generate revenues. 
Our insurance business is subject to regulation in the jurisdictions in which it operates. These regulations may relate to, among 
other things, the types of business that can be written, the rates that can be charged for coverage, the level of capital and reserves 
that must be maintained, and restrictions on the types and size of investments that can be placed. Regulations may also restrict the 
timing and amount of dividend payments. Accordingly, existing or new regulations related to these or other matters or regulatory 
actions imposing restrictions on our insurance business may adversely impact its results of operations.  

Risks Relating to Our Media and Licensing Business 

Our media business faces significant competition from other magazine publishers and new forms of media, including digital 
media, and as a result our media business may not be able to improve its operating results.  
Our media business competes principally with other magazine publishers. The proliferation of choices available to consumers for 
information and entertainment has resulted in audience fragmentation and has negatively impacted overall consumer demand for 
print magazines and intensified competition with other magazine publishers for share of print magazine readership. Our media 
business also competes with digital publishers and other forms of media. This competition has intensified as a result of the growing 
popularity of mobile devices and the shift in preference of some consumers from print media to digital media for the delivery and 
consumption of content.  

Competition among print magazine and digital publishers for advertising is primarily based on the circulation and readership  of 
magazines and the number of visitors to websites, respectively,  and the demographics of customers, advertising rates,  plus the 
effectiveness of advertising sales teams. The proliferation of new platforms available to advertisers, combined with continuing 
competition from print platforms, has impacted both the amount of advertising our media business is able to sell and the rates it 
can command.  

Our pursuit of licensing opportunities for the Maxim brand may prove to be unsuccessful. 
Maxim’s  success  depends  to  a  significant  degree  upon  its  ability  to  develop  new  licensing  agreements  to  expand  its  brand.  
However,  these  licensing  efforts  may  be  unsuccessful.  We  may  be  unable  to  secure  favorable  terms  for  future  licensing 
arrangements, which could lead to, among other things, disputes with licensing partners that hinder our ability to grow the Maxim 
brand.  Future licensing partners may also fail to honor their contractual obligations or take other actions that  can diminish the 
value of the Maxim brand. Disputes could also arise that prevent or delay our ability to collect licensing revenues under these 
arrangements. If any of these developments occur or our licensing efforts are otherwise not successful, the value and recognition 
of the Maxim brand, as well as the prospects of our media business, could be materially, adversely affected. 

Our media business is exposed to risks associated with weak economic conditions.  
Because magazines are generally discretionary purchases for consumers, circulation revenues are sensitive to general economic 
conditions and economic cycles. Certain economic conditions such as general economic downturns, including periods of increased 
inflation, unemployment levels, interest rates, gasoline and other energy prices, or declining consumer confidence, may negatively 
impact consumer spending. Reduced consumer spending or a shift in consumer spending patterns away from discretionary items 
will likely result in reduced demand for our media business’ magazines and may result in decreased revenues.  

Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments 

None. 

22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 2.   

Properties 

Restaurant Properties 
As of December 31, 2018, restaurant operations included 685 company-operated and franchise locations. Restaurant operations 
own the land and building for 153 restaurants. The following table lists the locations of the restaurants, as of December 31, 2018.  

23 

Company OperatedFranchisedCompany OperatedFranchisedTotalDomestic:Alabama ...................................................2                    7                    -                 6                    15              Arizona ....................................................1                    1                    -                 -                 2                Arkansas ..................................................-                 7                    -                 16                  23              California .................................................1                    6                    -                 1                    8                Colorado ..................................................2                    2                    -                 -                 4                Delaware ..................................................-                 1                    -                 -                 1                Florida .....................................................80                  4                    -                 -                 84              Georgia ....................................................22                  17                  -                 5                    44              Illinois ......................................................61                  10                  -                 -                 71              Indiana .....................................................68                  5                    -                 -                 73              Iowa .........................................................3                    -                 -                 -                 3                Kansas .....................................................-                 4                    -                 -                 4                Kentucky .................................................14                  10                  -                 -                 24              Louisiana .................................................-                 1                    -                 -                 1                Maryland .................................................-                 1                    -                 1                    2                Michigan ..................................................19                  -                 -                 -                 19              Mississippi .............................................-                 4                    -                 1                    5                Missouri ..................................................37                  24                  -                 -                 61              Nevada .....................................................-                 6                    -                 -                 6                North Carolina .........................................6                    11                  -                 6                    23              Ohio .........................................................63                  3                    -                 1                    67              Oklahoma ................................................-                 3                    -                 7                    10              Pennsylvania ...........................................7                    6                    -                 -                 13              South Carolina .........................................1                    5                    -                 3                    9                Tennessee ................................................9                    17                  -                 4                    30              Texas .......................................................14                  18                  -                 1                    33              Virginia ....................................................-                 8                    3                    3                    14              Washington ..............................................-                 1                    -                 -                 1                West Virginia ...........................................-                 2                    1                    -                 3                International:France ......................................................2                    20                  -                 -                 22              Italy .........................................................-                 2                    -                 -                 2                Portugal ...................................................-                 4                    -                 -                 4                Qatar ........................................................-                 1                    -                 -                 1                Saudi Arabia ............................................-                 1                    -                 -                 1                Spain ........................................................1                    1                    -                 -                 2                Total ........................................................413                213                4                    55                  685            Steak n ShakeWestern Sizzlin 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 3. 

Legal Proceedings 

We are involved in various legal proceedings and have certain unresolved claims pending. We believe, based on examination of 
these matters and experiences to date, that the ultimate liability, if any, in excess of amounts already provided in our consolidated 
financial statements is not likely to have a material effect on our results of operations, financial position or cash flow.  

On January 29, 2018, a shareholder of the Company filed a purported class action complaint against the Company and the members 
of our Board of Directors in the Superior Court of Hamilton County, Indiana. The shareholder generally alleges claims of breach 
of fiduciary duty by the members of our Board of Directors and unjust enrichment to Mr. Biglari as a result of the issuance of a 
dual class structure.  

On March 26, 2018, a shareholder of the Company filed a purported class action complaint against the Company and the members 
of our Board of Directors in the Superior Court of Hamilton County, Indiana. This shareholder generally alleges claims of breach 
of fiduciary duty by the members of our Board of Directors. This shareholder sought to enjoin the shareholder vote on April 26, 
2018 to approve the issuance of the dual class structure. On April 16, 2018, the shareholders withdrew their motions to enjoin the 
shareholder vote on April 26, 2018. 

On May 17, 2018, the shareholders who filed the January  29, 2018 complaint and the March 26, 2018 complaint filed a new, 
consolidated complaint against the Company and the members of our Board of Directors in the Superior Court of Hamilton County, 
Indiana. The shareholders generally allege claims of breach of fiduciary duty by the members of our Board of Directors and unjust 
enrichment to Mr. Biglari arising out of the issuance of the dual class  structure. The shareholders seek, for themselves and on 
behalf of all other shareholders as a class, a declaration that the defendants breached their duty to the shareholders and the class, 
and to recover unspecified damages, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest,  and an award of their attorneys’  fees  and other 
costs. 

On December 14, 2018, the Judge of the Superior Court of Hamilton County, Indiana issued an order granting the Company’s 
motion to dismiss the shareholders’ lawsuits. On January 11, 2019, the shareholders filed an appeal of the Judge’s order dismissing 
the lawsuits. 

The Company believes the claims in each case are without merit and intends to defend these cases vigorously. 

Item 4. 

Mine Safety Disclosures 

Not applicable. 

Part II 

Item 5. 

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity 
Securities 

Market Information 
Biglari Holdings’ Class A common stock and Class B common stock are listed for trading on the NYSE, trading symbol:  BH.A 
and BH, respectively.  

Shareholders 
Biglari Holdings had 3,173 beneficial shareholders of its Class A common stock and 5,776 beneficial shareholders of its Class B 
common stock at February 11, 2019.   

Dividends 
Biglari Holdings has never declared a dividend. 

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities 
From  December  11,  2018  through  December  17,  2018,  Sardar  Biglari  purchased  1,393 share  of  Class  A  common  stock  at  an 
average price paid per share of $712.24 and 350 shares of Class B common stock at an average price paid per share of $125.99. 
Mr. Biglari may be deemed to be an “affiliated purchaser” as defined in Rule 10b-18(a)(3) under the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934, as amended. The purchases were made through open market transactions. 

24 

 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Performance Graph 
The graph below matches Biglari Holdings Inc.'s cumulative 5-year total shareholder return on  its Class A common stock and 
Class B common stock with the cumulative total returns of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P Restaurants Index. The graph tracks 
the  performance  of  a  $100  investment  in  our  common  stock  and  in  each  index  (with  the  reinvestment  of  all  dividends)  from 
December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2018. 

COMPARISON OF 5 YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN*
Among Biglari Holdings Inc., the S&P 500 Index 
and the S&P Restaurants Index

$200

$180

$160

$140

$120

$100

$80

$60

$40

$20

$0

12/13

12/14

12/15

12/16

12/17

12/18

Biglari Holdings Inc.

S&P 500

S&P Restaurants

*$100 invested on 12/31/13 in stock or index, including reinvestment of dividends.
Fiscal year ending December 31.

Copyright© 2019 Standard & Poor's, a division of S&P Global. All rights reserved.

The preceding stock price performance graph and related information shall not be deemed “soliciting material” or to be “filed” 
with the SEC, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934, as amended, or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate it by reference 
into such filings. 

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans 
Biglari Holdings does not have any equity compensation plans. 

25 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 6.    

Selected Financial Data 

(dollars in thousands except per share data) 

Earnings per share of common stock is based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period.  The issuance 
of dual class common stock on April 30, 2018 is applied to years 2014 through 2017 on a retrospective basis for the calculation of 
earnings per share.  The Company has applied the “two-class method” of computing earnings per share as prescribed in ASC 260, 
“Earnings Per Share.” 

For total assets, periods prior to 2016 were adjusted for the reclassifications of debt issuance costs and deferred taxes. For long-
term notes payable and other borrowings, periods prior to 2016 were adjusted for the reclassification of debt issuance.   

As  of  January  1,  2018,  franchise  royalties  and  fees  are  composed  of  royalties  and  fees  from  Steak  n  Shake  and  Western  Sizzlin 
franchisees. Royalties are based upon a percentage of sales of the franchise restaurant and are recognized as earned. Franchise 
royalties are billed on a monthly basis. Initial franchise fees when a new restaurant opens or at the start of a new franchise term are 
recorded as deferred revenue when received and recognized as revenue over the term of the franchise agreement. This represents a 
change in methodology under the January 1, 2018 adoption of ASC 606 for we have historically recognized initial franchise fees 
upon the opening of a franchise restaurant. Comparative prior periods have not been adjusted. 

Years 2015 through 2018 ended December 31. In 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a change in the Company’s 
fiscal year-end moving from the last Wednesday in September to December 31 of each year. Transition period is for September 25, 
2014 to December 31, 2014. Fiscal year 2014 ended on the last Wednesday nearest September 30. 

26 

2018201720162015Revenue: Total revenues ................................................................................809,894$      839,804$      850,076$      861,452$      Earnings:Net earnings (loss) .........................................................................19,392$        50,071$        99,451$        (15,843)$       Net earnings (loss) per equivalent Class A share ...........................55.71$          136.01$        271.22$        (33.94)$         Year-end data:Total assets ....................................................................................1,029,493$   1,063,584$   1,096,967$   987,079$      Long-term notes payable and other borrowings ............................240,001        256,994        281,555        296,062        Biglari Holdings Inc. shareholders’ equity .....................................570,455$      571,328$      531,940$      451,372$      Transition Period52 Weeks Ended2014Revenue: Total revenues .....................................................................................................................................224,450$      793,811$      Earnings:Net earnings attributable to Biglari Holdings Inc. ................................................................................91,050$        28,804$        Net earnings per equivalent Class A share ..........................................................................................161.63$        56.16$          Year-end data:Total assets ..........................................................................................................................................1,298,509$   1,156,310$   Long-term notes payable and other borrowings ..................................................................................309,003        311,448        Biglari Holdings Inc. shareholders’ equity ...........................................................................................725,551$      638,717$        Fiscal2014 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 

(dollars in thousands except per share data) 

Biglari Holdings Inc. is a  holding company owning  subsidiaries engaged in a  number of diverse business activities,  including 
media,  property  and  casualty  insurance,  and  restaurants.  The  Company’s  largest  operating  subsidiaries  are  involved  in  the 
franchising and operating of restaurants. Biglari Holdings is founded and led by Sardar Biglari, Chairman and Chief Executive 
Officer of Biglari Holdings  and its major operating subsidiaries. The Company’s long-term objective is to maximize  per-share 
intrinsic value. All major operating, investment, and capital allocation decisions are made for the Company and its subsidiaries by 
Mr. Biglari. 

As of December 31, 2018, Mr. Biglari’s beneficial ownership was approximately 56.9% of the Company’s outstanding Class A 
common stock and 54.3% of the Company’s outstanding Class B common stock. 

Issuance of Dual Class Common Stock 
On  March  5,  2018,  the  Company  entered  into  an  agreement  with  its  predecessor  registrant,  now  known  as  OBH  Inc.  (the 
“Predecessor”), and BH Merger Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Pursuant to the agreement on April 30, 
2018, BH Merger Company merged with and into the Predecessor, with the Predecessor continuing as the surviving corporation 
and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.  

As a result of the April 30, 2018 transaction, the Company has two classes of common stock, designated Class A common stock 
and Class B common stock. A share of Class B common stock has economic rights equivalent to 1/5th of a share of Class A common 
stock; however, Class B common stock has no voting rights. Upon completion of the transaction, every ten (10) shares of common 
stock outstanding on April 30, 2018 converted into (i) ten (10) shares of Class B common stock and (ii) one (1) share of Class A 
common stock.  

Since May 1, 2018, the shares of the Company’s Class A common stock have traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) 
under the ticker symbol “BH.A” and the shares of the Company’s Class B common stock have traded on the NYSE under the 
ticker symbol “BH”. 

Net earnings attributable to Biglari Holdings shareholders are disaggregated in the table that follows.  Amounts are recorded after 
deducting income taxes.   

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with Item 1, Business and our Consolidated Financial Statements and the 
notes thereto included in this Form 10-K. The following discussion should also be read in conjunction with the “Cautionary Note 
Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and the risks and uncertainties described in Item 1A, Risk Factors set forth above.   

27 

201820172016Operating businesses:Restaurant ........................................................................................................(2,613)$    9,725$  24,834$   Insurance ..........................................................................................................4,915 3,097 3,313 Media ...............................................................................................................796 435 (6,385) Other ................................................................................................................472 506 (157) Total operating businesses .................................................................................3,570 13,763 21,605 Corporate ............................................................................................................(8,661) 32,072 (6,387) Investment partnership gains .............................................................................33,240 11,080 91,332 Interest expense on notes payable ......................................................................(8,757) (6,844) (7,099) 19,392$   50,071$   99,451$   Management’s Discussion and Analysis (continued) 

Restaurants 

Our  restaurant  businesses,  which  include  Steak  n  Shake  and  Western  Sizzlin,  comprise  685  company-operated  and  franchise 
restaurants as of December 31, 2018. 

The term “same-store sales” refers to the sales of company-operated units open at least 18 months at the beginning of the current 
period and have remained open through the end of the period. Same-store traffic measures the number of patrons who walk through 
the same units. 

Restaurant operations for 2018, 2017 and 2016 are summarized below. 

28 

Company- operatedFranchisedCompany-operatedFranchisedTotalTotal stores as of December 31, 2015 .......................417 144 4 66 631 Net restaurants opened (closed) ................................- 29 (1) (2) 26 Total stores as of December 31, 2016 .......................417 173 3 64 657 Net restaurants opened (closed) ................................(2) 27 1 (6) 20 Total stores as of December 31, 2017 .......................415 200 4 58 677 Net restaurants opened (closed) ............................(2) 13 - (3) 8 Total stores as of December 31, 2018 ....................413 213 4 55 685 Steak n ShakeWestern Sizzlin 2018  2017  2016RevenueNet sales ...............................................................740,922$   781,856$   795,322$   Franchise royalties and fees ..................................30,998 20,773 18,794 Other revenue .......................................................3,770 4,524 3,798 Total revenue ...........................................................775,690 807,153 817,914 Restaurant cost of salesCost of food ..........................................................223,273 30.1%238,143 30.5%221,657 27.9%Restaurant operating costs ...................................393,348 53.1%404,373 51.7%395,262 49.7%Rent ......................................................................19,835 2.7%18,514 2.4%18,047 2.3%Total cost of sales ....................................................636,456 661,030 634,966 Selling, general and administrativeGeneral and administrative ...................................57,684 7.4%60,527 7.5%59,446 7.3%Marketing .............................................................55,063 7.1%49,589 6.1%51,324 6.3%Other expenses .....................................................8,060 1.0%4,011 0.5%3,907 0.5%Total selling, general and administrative 120,807 15.6%114,127 14.1%114,677 14.0%Depreciation and amortization ................................18,831 2.4%20,623 2.6%21,573 2.6%Interest on obligations under leases .........................8,207 9,082 9,475 Earnings before income taxes ...................................(8,611) 2,291 37,223 Income tax expense (benefit) ...................................(5,998) (7,434) 12,389 Net earnings (loss) ...................................................(2,613)$      9,725$  24,834$     Cost of food, restaurant operating costs and rent expense are expressed as a percentage of net sales.General and administrative, marketing, other expenses and depreciation and amortization are expressed as a percentage of total revenue.Management’s Discussion and Analysis (continued) 

Net sales during 2018 were $740,922 representing a decrease of $40,934 when compared to 2017. The decreased performance of 
our restaurant operations in 2018 was largely driven by Steak n Shake’s same-store sales, which decreased 5.1% whereas customer 
traffic decreased by 7.0%. Net sales during 2017 were $781,856 representing a decrease of $13,466 when compared to 2016. The 
decreased performance of our restaurant operations in 2017 was largely driven by Steak n Shake’s same-store sales. In 2017, Steak 
n Shake’s same-store sales decreased by 1.8% compared to 2016.  

In 2018, franchise royalties and fees increased $10,225 or 49.2%. During 2018, Steak n Shake opened 33 franchise units and closed 
20. Western Sizzlin opened one franchise unit and closed four. The increase in franchise royalties and fees was primarily due to
the adoption of new ASC 606 accounting guidance for revenue recognition. Franchise marketing contributions are now reflected 
in revenue with a corresponding increase in marketing expense. As a result, franchise revenue increased by $9,417 or 45.3% during 
2018.  Franchise royalties and fees during 2017 increased $1,979 compared to 2016. In 2017 Steak n Shake opened 40 franchise 
units and closed thirteen. During the same period, six Western Sizzlin franchise units closed. The increase in franchise fees and 
royalties during 2017 are primarily attributable to new Steak n Shake franchise units, which opened in 2017 and 2016.  

Cost of food in 2018 was $223,273 or 30.1% of net sales, compared with $238,143 or 30.5% of net sales in 2017 and $221,657 or 
27.9% of net sales in 2016. The increase as a percent of  net sales during 2018 and 2017 compared to 2016  was attributable to 
increased commodity costs.   

Restaurant operating costs during 2018 were $393,348 or 53.1% of net sales, compared to $404,373 or 51.7% of net sales in 2017 
and $395,262 or 49.7% of net sales in 2016. Total costs as a percent of net sales during 2018 and 2017 increased compared to the 
respective prior years principally due to higher wages. 

Selling, general and administrative expenses during 2018 were $120,807 or 15.6% of total revenues. 

General and administrative expenses decreased by $2,843 during 2018 compared to 2017, primarily because of decreased personnel 
costs.  

Marketing expense increased by $5,474 in 2018 compared to 2017 primarily due to the adoption of new accounting guidance. New 
ASC 606 accounting guidance requires the Company to recognize franchise fees as revenue and reflect advertising expenditures 
made on behalf of the franchisees as marketing expense. The new guidance increased marketing expenses by $9,689 during 2018. 

Other expenses increased by $4,049 during 2018 compared to 2017.  The increase in other expenses was primarily due to asset 
impairments of $5,677.  

Selling, general and administrative expenses during 2017 were $114,127 or 14.1% of total revenues. 

General and administrative expenses increased by $1,081 during 2017 compared to 2016, primarily because of increased recruiting. 

Marketing expense decreased by $1,735 in 2017 compared to 2016 because of a decrease in promotions. 

Interest on obligations under leases was $8,207 during 2018, versus $9,082 during 2017 and $9,475 during 2016. The year over 
year decrease in interest expense is primarily attributable to the maturity and retirement of lease obligations. The total obligations 
under  leases  outstanding  at  December  31,  2018  were  $64,200,  compared  to  $80,752  at  December  31,  2017  and  $89,498  at 
December 31, 2016. 

29 

Management’s Discussion and Analysis (continued) 

Insurance 

First Guard is a direct underwriter of commercial truck insurance, selling physical damage and nontrucking liability insurance to 
truckers. Earnings of our insurance business are summarized below. 

First Guard’s insurance products are marketed primarily through direct response methods via the Internet or by telephone. First 
Guard’s cost-efficient direct response marketing methods enable it to be a low-cost trucking insurer.  

In 2018, premiums earned increased $2,223 or 9.2% compared to 2017. Premiums earned during 2017 increased $1,845 or 8.2% 
compared to 2016. Pre-tax underwriting gain during 2018 was $5,634, an increase of $1,116 (24.7%) compared to 2017. Pre-tax 
underwriting gain during 2017 was $4,518, a decrease of $395 (8.0%) compared to 2016. We strive to generate pre-tax underwriting 
profits every year. 

Insurance premiums and other on the statement of earnings includes premiums earned, investment income and commissions, which 
are included in other income in the above table. 

30 

201820172016Premiums earned .................................................................................................26,465$     24,242$     22,397$     Insurance losses ..................................................................................................15,457 14,959 12,641 Underwriting expenses .......................................................................................5,374 4,765 4,843 Pre-tax underwriting gain ....................................................................................5,634 4,518 4,913 Other income and expensesInvestment income and commissions ..............................................................1,163 701 600 Other expense  .................................................................................................(582) (449) (378) Total other income ...........................................................................................581 252 222 Earnings before income taxes ..............................................................................6,215 4,770 5,135 Income tax expense .............................................................................................1,300 1,673 1,822 Contribution to net earnings ...............................................................................4,915$  3,097$  3,313$  Management’s Discussion and Analysis (continued) 

Media and Licensing 

Maxim’s business lies principally in media and licensing.  Earnings of our media operations are summarized below. 

We acquired Maxim with the idea of transforming its business model. The magazine developed the Maxim brand, a franchise we 
are utilizing to generate nonmagazine revenue, notably through licensing, a cash-generating business related to consumer products, 
services, and events. 

We have taken the risk on the belief that the probability for gain in value more than justifies the risk of loss. 

Investment Partnership Gains 

Earnings from our investments in partnerships are summarized below. 

Investment  partnership  gains  include  gains  and  losses  from  changes  in  market  values  of  investments  held  by  the  investment 
partnerships and dividends earned by the partnerships. The volatility of the gains and losses during the various years is attributable 
to changes in market values of investments. Dividend income has a lower effective tax rate than income from changes in market 
values. 

The investments held by the investment partnerships are largely concentrated in the common stock of one investee, Cracker Barrel 
Old Country Store, Inc. 

The investment partnerships hold the Company’s common stock as investments. The Company’s pro-rata share of its common 
stock held by the investment partnerships is recorded as treasury stock even though these shares are legally outstanding. Gains and 
losses on Company common stock included in the earnings of the partnerships are eliminated. 

31 

 2018 2017 2016Revenue ........................................................................................................6,576$  7,708$  9,165$  Media cost of sales .........................................................................................4,152 6,527 15,834 Selling, general and administrative expenses ......................................................1,329 1,570 3,000 Depreciation and amortization ..........................................................................27 50 409 Earnings (loss) before income taxes ..................................................................1,068 (439) (10,078) Income tax expense (benefit) ...........................................................................272 (874) (3,693) Contribution to net earnings .............................................................................796$  435$  (6,385)$  201820172016Investment partnership gains ............................................................................40,411$  6,965$  135,886$  Loss on contribution of securities to investment partnership ................................- - (306) Investment partnership gains ............................................................................40,411 6,965 135,580 Income tax expense (benefit) ...........................................................................7,171 (4,115) 44,248 Contribution to net earnings .............................................................................33,240$ 11,080$ 91,332$ Management’s Discussion and Analysis (continued) 

Interest Expense 

The Company’s interest expense is summarized below. 

The  outstanding  balance  on  Steak  n  Shake’s  credit  facility  on  December  31,  2018  was  $183,698  compared  to  $185,898  on 
December 31, 2017. The decrease in the outstanding balance was due to debt payments of $2,200 during 2018. The interest rate 
was 6.28% and 5.32% as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.  Interest expense during 2018 increased by $637 compared 
to 2017, primarily due to higher interest rates during 2018.  Interest expense during 2017 decreased by $410 compared to 2016, 
primarily due to lower debt during 2017. 

Income Taxes 

Consolidated income tax was a benefit of $2,637 in 2018 versus a benefit of $62,961 in 2017 and an expense of $46,812 in 2016. 
The income tax benefit of $2,637 was primarily from the use of employment tax credits generated by restaurant operations. The 
2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduces the U.S. statutory corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% for our tax years beginning in 2018, 
which resulted in the re-measurement of the federal portion of our deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2017. The 
change in the tax rate resulted in a onetime deferred tax benefit of $51,707 during 2017. The deferred income tax benefit is derived 
from a re-measurement in deferred tax balances to the new statutory rate applicable to unrealized gains on marketable securities 
held by the Company and in the investment partnerships. 

Corporate 

Corporate expenses exclude the activities in the restaurant, insurance, media and other companies. Corporate net  losses during 
2018  were  $8,661  versus  net  earnings  of  $32,072  during  2017  and  net  losses  of  $6,387  during  2016.  In  2017,  an  increase  in 
shareholders’ equity was derived from a re-measurement in deferred tax liability to the new statutory rate applicable to unrealized 
gains  on  marketable  securities.  The  majority  of  the  Company’s  deferred  tax  liabilities  associated  with  unrealized  gains  on 
marketable securities are held in the corporate account.  

Financial Condition 

Our consolidated shareholders’ equity on December 31, 2018 was $570,455, a decrease of $873 compared to the December 31, 
2017 balance. Shareholders’ equity increased by $19,392 in net income and was offset by an increase in treasury stock of $19,292. 
The increase in treasury  stock  was primarily a result of recording our proportionate  interest in shares of the Company’s stock 
purchased  during  2018  by  The  Lion  Fund  II,  L.P.  under  a  Rule  10b5-1  trading  plan.  The  shares  purchased  by  the  investment 
partnership  are  legally  outstanding  but  under  accounting  convention  the  Company’s  proportional  ownership  of  the  shares  is 
reflected as treasury shares in the consolidated financial statements.     

Consolidated cash and investments are summarized below. 

Unrealized  gains/losses  of  Biglari  Holdings’  stock  held  by  the  investment  partnerships  are  eliminated  in  the  Company’s 
consolidated financial results.  

32 

201820172016Interest expense on notes payable and other borrowings ...................................(11,677)$   (11,040)$   (11,450)$   Income tax benefit ...............................................................................................(2,920) (4,196) (4,351) Interest expense net of tax ..................................................................................(8,757)$   (6,844)$   (7,099)$   20182017Cash and cash equivalents ...............................................................................................................48,557$   58,577$   Investments .....................................................................................................................................33,860 23,289 Investments reported in other current assets and other assets .......................................................4,463 4,463 Fair value of interest in investment partnerships ...........................................................................715,102 925,279 Total cash and investments .............................................................................................................801,982 1,011,608       Less: portion of Company stock held by investment partnerships ...............................................(157,622)         (359,258)         Carrying value of cash and investments on balance sheet ...............................................................644,360$    652,350$    December 31,Management’s Discussion and Analysis (continued) 

Liquidity 
Our balance sheet continues to maintain significant liquidity. Consolidated cash flow activities are summarized below. 

In 2018, cash from operating activities decreased by $5,102 compared to 2017 and by $42,671 compared to 2016.  Net earnings 
(excluding non-cash items) were $3,061 during 2018, $3,316 during 2017 and $28,780 during 2016.  The decrease in net earnings 
during 2018 and 2017 compared to 2016 was primarily due to decreases in restaurant net earnings.  Distributions from investment 
partnerships were $29,660 during 2018, $9,395 during 2017 and $26,265 during 2016. Changes in working capital accounts were 
a decrease of $12,043 during 2018, and increases during 2017 and 2016 of $13,069 and $8,304, respectively.  The decrease of 
working capital accounts during 2018 was primarily tied to the payment of the 2017 CEO incentive fee of $7,353.  And the accrual 
of the 2017 CEO incentive fee increased working capital accounts during 2017. 

Net cash used in investing activities increased during 2018 by $13,742 compared to 2017, and decreased by $3,505 compared to 
2016.  Capital  expenditures  during  2018  were  $7,259  and  $6,630  higher  than  capital  expenditures  during  2017  and  2016, 
respectively. Purchases of investments, net of redemptions of fixed maturity securities during 2018 were $9,273 and $6,385 higher 
than purchases of investments during 2017 and 2016, respectively. Distributions from investment partnerships of $39,040 during 
2018 were reinvested into the investment partnerships during 2018. 

During 2018, 2017 and 2016 we incurred debt payments  of  $7,579, $23,030 and $15,295, respectively. Debt obligations  were 
reduced in 2018 because of additional principal payments on long-term debt during 2017 and 2016.  

We intend to meet the working capital needs of our operating subsidiaries principally through anticipated cash flows generated 
from operations, cash on hand, existing credit facilities, and the sale of excess properties and investments. We continually review 
available financing alternatives. 

Steak n Shake Credit Facility 
On March 19, 2014, Steak n Shake and its subsidiaries entered into a credit agreement which provided for a senior secured term 
loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of $220,000 and a senior secured revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal 
amount of up to $30,000. On October 27, 2017, Steak n Shake determined to end the use of its senior secured revolving credit 
facility. In 2017, Steak n Shake deposited cash to satisfy required collateral for casualty insurance previously collateralized by 
letters of credit issued through the revolving credit facility. The deposits are recorded in other assets under restricted cash in the 
consolidated balance sheets. 

The term loan is scheduled to mature on March 19, 2021. It amortizes at an annual rate of 1.0% in equal quarterly installments, 
beginning June 30, 2014, at 0.25% of the original principal amount of the term loan, subject to mandatory prepayments from excess 
cash flow, asset sales and other events described in the credit agreement. The balance will be due at maturity.  

Steak n Shake has the right to request an incremental term loan facility from participating lenders and/or eligible assignees at any 
time, up to an aggregate total principal amount not to exceed $70,000 if certain customary conditions within the credit agreement 
are met. 

Borrowings bear interest at a rate per annum equal to a base rate or a Eurodollar rate (minimum of 1%) plus an applicable margin. 
Interest on the term loan is based on a Eurodollar rate plus an applicable margin of 3.75% or on the prime rate plus an applicable 
margin of 2.75%. The interest rate on the term loan was 6.28% and 5.32% as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. 

The credit agreement includes customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default. As of December 31, 2018, we 
were in compliance with all covenants. Steak n Shake’s credit facility contains restrictions on its ability to pay dividends to Biglari 
Holdings.   

33 

201820172016Net cash provided by operating activities ..........................................................20,678$    25,780$    63,349$    Net cash used in investing activities ...................................................................(25,290) (11,548) (28,795) Net cash used in financing activities ...................................................................(7,530) (23,000) (15,231) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash ..............................................................(78) 165 (38) Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash .......................(12,220)$     (8,603)$     19,285$    Management’s Discussion and Analysis (continued) 

The term loan is secured by first priority security interests in substantially all the assets of Steak n Shake.  Disruptions in debt 
capital markets that restrict access to funding when needed could adversely affect the results of operations, liquidity and capital 
resources of Steak n Shake. Biglari Holdings is not a guarantor under the credit facility. As of December 31, 2018, $183,698 was 
outstanding under the term loan. 

Western Sizzlin Revolver 
As of December 31, 2018, Western Sizzlin had no debt outstanding under the revolver. 

Critical Accounting Policies 
Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based upon our consolidated financial 
statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Certain 
accounting policies require management to make estimates and judgments concerning transactions that will be settled several years 
in the future. Amounts recognized in our consolidated financial statements from such estimates are necessarily based on numerous 
assumptions involving varying and potentially significant degrees of judgment and uncertainty. Accordingly, the amounts currently 
reflected in our consolidated financial statements will likely increase or decrease in the future as additional information becomes 
available.   

We believe the following critical accounting policies represent our more significant judgments and estimates used in preparation 
of our consolidated financial statements.  Given the current composition of our business, we do not believe that any accounting 
policies related to our insurance or media businesses were critical to the preparation of our consolidated financial statements as of 
and for the year ended December 31, 2018. 

Consolidation 
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of (i) Biglari Holdings Inc., and (ii) the wholly owned subsidiaries of 
Biglari Holdings Inc. in which control can be exercised. In evaluating whether we have a controlling interest in entities in which 
we would consolidate, we consider the following: (1) for voting interest entities, we consolidate those entities in which we own a 
majority of the voting interests; and (2) for limited partnership entities, we consolidate those entities if we are the general partner 
of such entities and for which no substantive removal rights exist. The analysis as to whether to consolidate an entity is subject to 
a significant amount of judgment. Some of the criteria considered include the determination as to the degree of control over  an 
entity by its  various equity holders and the design of the  entity.  All intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in 
consolidation. 

Our interests in the investment partnerships are accounted for as equity method investments because of our retained limited partner 
interest in the investment partnerships.  The Company records gains from investment partnerships (inclusive of the investment 
partnerships’ unrealized gains and losses on their securities) in the consolidated statement of earnings based on our proportional 
ownership interest in the investment partnerships. 

Impairment of Long-lived Assets 
We review company-operated restaurants for impairment on a restaurant-by-restaurant basis when events or circumstances indicate 
a possible impairment. We test for impairment by comparing the carrying value of the asset to the undiscounted future cash flows 
expected to be generated by the asset. If the total estimated future cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the asset, the 
carrying value is written down to the estimated fair value, and a loss is recognized in earnings. The future cash flows expected to 
be generated by an asset requires significant judgment regarding future performance of the asset, fair market value if the asset were 
to be sold, and other financial and economic assumptions. 

Insurance Reserves 
We currently self-insure a significant portion of expected losses under our workers’ compensation, general liability, directors’ and 
officers’  liability,  and  auto  liability  insurance  programs.  For  certain  programs,  we  purchase  reinsurance  for  individual  and 
aggregate claims that exceed predetermined limits. We record a liability for all unresolved claims and our estimates of incurred 
but  not  reported  (“IBNR”)  claims  at  the  anticipated  cost  to  us.  The  liability  estimate  is  based  on  information  received  from 
insurance companies, combined with management’s judgments regarding frequency and severity of claims, claims development 
history, and settlement practices. Significant judgment is required to estimate IBNR claims as parties have yet to assert a claim, 
and therefore the degree to which injuries have been incurred and the related costs have not yet been determined. Additionally, 
estimates about future costs involve significant judgment regarding legislation, case jurisdictions, and other matters. 

34 

Management’s Discussion and Analysis (continued) 

Income Taxes 
We record deferred tax assets or liabilities based on differences between financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities 
using currently enacted rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. We record deferred tax 
assets to the extent we believe there will be sufficient future taxable income to utilize those assets prior to their expiration. To the 
extent deferred tax assets would be unable to be utilized; we would record a valuation allowance against the unrealizable amount 
and record that amount as a charge against earnings. Due to changing tax laws and state income tax rates, significant judgment is 
required to estimate the effective tax rate expected to apply to tax differences that are expected to reverse in the future. We must 
also make estimates about the sufficiency of taxable income in future periods to offset any deductions related to deferred tax assets 
currently recorded. As of December 31, 2018, a change of one percentage point in an enacted tax rate would have an impact of 
approximately $3,800 on net earnings. 

We recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained 
on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial 
statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized 
upon ultimate resolution. 

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets 
We  are  required  to  assess  goodwill  and  any  indefinite-lived  intangible  assets  for  impairment  annually,  or  more  frequently  if 
circumstances indicate impairment may have occurred. Goodwill impairment occurs when the estimated fair value of goodwill is 
less than its carrying value. The valuation methodology and underlying financial information included in our determination of fair 
value require significant management judgments. We use both market and income approaches to derive fair value. The judgments 
in these two approaches include, but are not limited to, comparable market multiples, long-term projections of future financial 
performance, and the selection of appropriate discount rates used to determine the present value of future cash flows. Changes in 
such estimates or the application of alternative assumptions could produce significantly different results. 

Leases 
Restaurant operations lease certain properties under operating leases. Many of these lease agreements contain rent holidays, rent 
escalation clauses and/or contingent rent provisions. Rent expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the expected lease 
term, including cancelable option periods when failure to exercise such options would result in an economic penalty. We use a 
time period for straight-line rent expense calculation that equals or exceeds the time period used for depreciation. In addition, the 
rent commencement date of the lease term is the earlier of the date when they become legally obligated for the rent payments or 
the date when they take access to the grounds for build out. Accounting for leases involves significant management judgment. 

35 

Management’s Discussion and Analysis (continued) 

Contractual Obligations  
Our significant contractual obligations and commitments as of December 31, 2018 are shown in the following table. 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements 
We have no off-balance sheet arrangements other than operating leases entered into in the normal course of business. 

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements 
For  detailed  information  regarding  recently  issued  accounting  pronouncements  and  the  expected  impact  on  our  consolidated 
financial  statements,  see  Note 1,  “Summary  of  Significant  Accounting  Policies”  in  the  accompanying  notes  to  consolidated 
financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this report on Form 10-K. 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 
This report includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In 
general, forward-looking statements include estimates of future revenues, cash flows, capital expenditures, or other financial items, 
and assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding 
future events and use words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “may,” and other similar terminology. A forward-looking 
statement is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of future events or circumstances, and those future events or circumstances may 
not occur. Investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this 
report. These forward-looking statements are all based on currently available operating, financial, and competitive information and 
are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Our actual future results and trends may differ materially depending on a variety of 
factors, many beyond our control, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties described in Item 1A, Risk Factors set 
forth above. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise them, except as may be required by law. 

36 

Less thanMore than1 year1 – 3 years3 – 5 years5 yearsTotal11,926$   193,562$ -$    -$    205,488$   11,169          14,075          4,543 1,673 31,460 18,397          34,611          30,811          38,499 122,318 7,320 8,699 1,000 - 17,019 - - - 2,149 2,149 48,812$   250,947$ 36,354$   42,321$    378,434$   (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)Operating leases (3) ..........................................Purchase commitments (4) ...............................Other long-term liabilities (5) ...........................Total .................................................................IncludesliabilitiesforNon-QualifiedDeferredCompensationPlan.Excludesourunrecognizedtaxbenefitsof$341asofDecember 31, 2018 because we cannot make a reliable estimate of the timing of cash payments.Payments due by periodContractual ObligationsIncludes principal and interest and assumes payoff of indebtedness at maturity date.Includes outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility.Excludes amounts to be paid for contingent rents. Includes amounts to be paid for subleased properties.Includesagreementstopurchasegoodsorservicesthatareenforceableandlegallybindingonusandthatspecifyallsignificantterms. Excludes agreements that are cancelable without penalty.Long-term debt (1)(2) .......................................Capital leases and finance obligations (1) .........Item 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 

The majority of our investments are conducted through investment partnerships which generally hold common stocks. We also 
hold marketable securities directly. Through investments  in the investment partnerships we hold a concentrated position  in the 
common stock of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.  A significant decline in the general stock market or in the prices of major 
investments may produce a large net loss and decrease in our consolidated shareholders’ equity. Decreases in values of equity 
investments can have a materially adverse effect on our earnings and on consolidated shareholders’ equity. 

We prefer to hold equity investments for very long periods of time so we are not troubled by short-term price volatility with respect 
to our investments.  Our interests in the investment partnerships are committed on a rolling 5-year basis, and any distributions upon 
our withdrawal of funds will be paid out over two years (and may be paid in kind  rather than in cash). Market prices for equity 
securities are subject to fluctuation. Consequently, the amount realized in the subsequent sale of an investment may significantly 
differ from the reported market value.  A hypothetical 10% increase or decrease in the market price of our investments would result 
in a respective increase or decrease in the fair market value of our investments of $59,581, along with a corresponding change in 
shareholders’ equity of approximately 8%. 

Borrowings on Steak n Shake’s credit facility bear interest at a rate per annum equal to a base rate or a Eurodollar rate (minimum 
of 1%) plus an applicable margin. Interest on the term loan is based on a Eurodollar rate plus an applicable margin of 3.75% or on 
the prime rate plus an applicable margin of 2.75%. At December 31, 2018, a hypothetical 100 basis point increase in short-term 
interest rates would have an impact of approximately $1,400 on our net earnings.  

We have had minimal exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations in 2018, 2017 and 2016.  

37 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 8. 

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 

To Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Biglari Holdings Inc.  

Opinion on the Financial Statements 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Biglari Holdings Inc. and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of 
December 31, 2018 and 2017, the related consolidated statements of earnings, comprehensive income, changes in shareholders’ 
equity,  and  cash  flows  for  each  of  the  three  years  in  the  period  ended  December  31,  2018,  and  the  related  notes  (collectively 
referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial 
position of the Company as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the 
three years in the period ended December 31, 2018, in conformity  with accounting principles generally accepted in the United 
States of America. 

We  have  also  audited,  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  the  Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight  Board  (United  States) 
(PCAOB),  the  Company's  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of  December  31,  2018,  based  on  criteria  established  in 
Internal  Control  —  Integrated  Framework  (2013)  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway 
Commission and our report dated February 23, 2019, expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over 
financial reporting.  

Basis for Opinion  

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the 
Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required 
to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and 
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 
audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error 
or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether 
due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, 
evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting 
principles  used  and  significant  estimates  made  by  management,  as  well  as  evaluating  the  overall  presentation  of  the  financial 
statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.  

Emphasis of a Matter 

As discussed in Note 3 and Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company and its subsidiaries have invested in 
investment partnerships in the form of limited partnership interests. These investment partnerships represent related parties, and 
such investments are subject to a rolling five-year lock up period under the terms of the respective partnership agreements. The 
value  of  these  investments  reported  in  the  Company’s  consolidated  balance  sheets  as  of  December  31,  2018  and  2017  totals 
$557,480,000 and $566,021,000, respectively. Our opinion is not modified with respect to this matter. 

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP 
Indianapolis, Indiana 
February 23, 2019 

We have served as the Company's auditor since 2003. 

38 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Biglari Holdings Inc.  

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting  

We have  audited the internal  control over financial reporting of Biglari  Holdings Inc. and subsidiaries (the  “Company”) as of 
December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of 
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, 
effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control — 
Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.  

We  have  also  audited,  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  the  Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight  Board  (United  States) 
(PCAOB), the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, of the Company, and our report 
dated February 23, 2019, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and included an emphasis of a matter 
paragraph relating to the Company’s investment in related party investment partnerships.  

Basis for Opinion  

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment 
of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal 
Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial 
reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with 
respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities 
and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 
audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material 
respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material 
weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and 
performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable 
basis for our opinion.  

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting  

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability 
of  financial  reporting  and  the  preparation  of  financial  statements  for  external  purposes  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted 
accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain 
to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets 
of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial 
statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are 
being  made  only  in  accordance  with  authorizations  of  management  and  directors  of  the  company;  and  (3)  provide  reasonable 
assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that 
could have a material effect on the financial statements.  

Because  of  its  inherent  limitations,  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  may  not  prevent  or  detect  misstatements.  Also, 
projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because 
of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.  

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP 
Indianapolis, Indiana  
February 23, 2019  

39 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BIGLARI HOLDINGS INC. 

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS 
 (dollars in thousands) 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

40 

20182017AssetsCurrent assets:Cash and cash equivalents ............................................................................................ $            48,557  $            58,577 Investments ................................................................................................................               33,860                23,289 Receivables ................................................................................................................               15,743                16,284 Inventories .................................................................................................................                 7,537                  7,268 Other current assets .....................................................................................................                 9,236                  7,221 Total current assets ........................................................................................................             114,933              112,639 Property and equipment ..................................................................................................             274,716              295,800 Goodwill .......................................................................................................................               40,052                40,081 Other intangible assets ....................................................................................................               28,114                26,564 Investment partnerships ..................................................................................................             557,480              566,021 Other assets ...................................................................................................................               14,198                22,479 Total assets .................................................................................................................. $       1,029,493  $       1,063,584 Liabilities and shareholders’ equityLiabilitiesCurrent liabilities:Accounts payable and accrued expenses ........................................................................ $          117,265  $          128,744 Current portion of notes payable and other borrowings ...................................................                 5,720                  6,748 Total current liabilities ....................................................................................................             122,985              135,492 Long-term notes payable and other borrowings .................................................................             240,001              256,994 Deferred taxes ...............................................................................................................               86,871                88,401 Other liabilities ...............................................................................................................                 9,181                11,369 Total liabilities .............................................................................................................             459,038              492,256 Shareholders’ equityCommon stock ..............................................................................................................                 1,138                  1,071 Additional paid-in capital .................................................................................................             381,904              382,014 Retained earnings ...........................................................................................................             564,160              565,504 Accumulated other comprehensive loss ............................................................................               (2,516)               (1,404)Treasury stock, at cost ...................................................................................................            (374,231)            (375,857)Biglari Holdings Inc. shareholders’ equity ....................................................................             570,455              571,328 Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity ...................................................................... $       1,029,493  $       1,063,584 December 31, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BIGLARI HOLDINGS INC. 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS 
(dollars in thousands except per-share amounts) 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 
(dollars in thousands) 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

41 

201820172016RevenuesRestaurant operations ......................................................................................775,690$      807,153$      817,914$      Insurance premiums and other .........................................................................27,628          24,943          22,997          Media advertising and other ............................................................................6,576            7,708            9,165            809,894        839,804        850,076        Cost and expensesRestaurant cost of sales ...................................................................................636,456        661,030        634,966        Insurance losses and underwriting expenses ....................................................20,831          19,724          17,484          Media cost of sales ..........................................................................................4,152            6,527            15,834          Selling, general and administrative ...................................................................132,909        130,808        127,259        Depreciation and amortization ........................................................................19,318          21,448          22,925          813,666        839,537        818,468        Other income (expenses)Interest expense ...............................................................................................(11,677)         (11,040)         (11,450)         Interest on obligations under leases .................................................................(8,207)           (9,082)           (9,475)           Investment partnership gains ..........................................................................40,411          6,965            135,580        Total other income (expenses) ......................................................................20,527          (13,157)         114,655        Earnings (loss) before income taxes ..............................................................16,755          (12,890)         146,263        Income tax expense (benefit) ...........................................................................(2,637)           (62,961)         46,812          Net earnings .....................................................................................................19,392$        50,071$        99,451$        Earnings per share Net earnings per equivalent Class A share *  .....................................................55.71$          136.01$        271.22$        Year EndedDecember 31,* Net earnings per equivalent Class B share outstanding are one-fifth of the equivalent Class A share or $11.14 for 2018, $27.20 for 2017 and $54.24 for 2016.201820172016Net earnings  ....................................................................................................19,392$        50,071$        99,451$        Other comprehensive income:Reclassification of investment appreciation in net earnings .........................(73)                -                306               Applicable income taxes ...............................................................................15                 -                (113)              Net change in unrealized gains on investments .............................................-                284               568               Applicable income taxes ...............................................................................-                (89)                (211)              Foreign currency translation .........................................................................(1,054)           1,985            (455)              Other comprehensive income (loss), net ............................................................(1,112)           2,180            95                 Total comprehensive income ..............................................................................18,280$        52,251$        99,546$        Year EndedDecember 31, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BIGLARI HOLDINGS INC. 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS 
(dollars in thousands) 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

42 

201820172016Operating activitiesNet earnings ....................................................................................................19,392$        50,071$        99,451$        Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to operating cash flows:Depreciation and amortization ..................................................................19,318          21,448          22,925          Provision for deferred income taxes ..........................................................(2,153)           (64,321)         38,485          Asset impairments and other non-cash expenses .....................................6,481            3,860            1,693            (Gain) loss on disposal of assets ..............................................................993               (777)              1,806            Investment (gains) losses (including contributions) ..................................(559)              -                306               Investment partnership gains ....................................................................(40,411)         (6,965)           (135,886)       Distributions from investment partnerships ............................................29,660          9,395            26,265          Changes in receivables and inventories .....................................................(359)              (2,235)           4,280            Changes in other assets .............................................................................536               268               116               Changes in accounts payable and accrued expenses .................................(12,220)         15,036          3,908            Net cash provided by operating activities ..................................................20,678          25,780          63,349          Investing activitiesCapital expenditures .................................................................................(15,293)         (8,034)           (8,663)           Purchases of perpetual lease rights ...........................................................(2,503)           -                (3,367)           Proceeds from property and equipment disposals ...................................2,590            1,004            1,084            Distributions from investment partnerships ............................................39,040          -                -                Purchases of limited partner interests .......................................................(39,040)         (3,707)           (14,150)         Purchases of investments ..........................................................................(58,642)         (42,648)         (35,784)         Redemptions of fixed maturity securities .................................................48,558          41,837          32,085          Net cash used in investing activities ..........................................................(25,290)         (11,548)         (28,795)         Financing activitiesPayments on revolving credit facility .......................................................(175)              (202)              (409)              Principal payments on long-term debt ......................................................(2,200)           (17,200)         (9,277)           Principal payments on direct financing lease obligations ..........................(5,204)           (5,628)           (5,609)           Proceeds for exercise of stock options ......................................................49                 30                 64                 Net cash used in financing activities .........................................................(7,530)           (23,000)         (15,231)         Effect of exchange rate changes on cash ....................................................(78)                165               (38)                Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash ....................(12,220)         (8,603)           19,285          Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period ..................67,230          75,833          56,548          Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period ...................55,010$        67,230$        75,833$        Year EndedDecember 31, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BIGLARI HOLDINGS INC. 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY  
 (dollars in thousands) 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

43 

Common StockAdditional Paid-In CapitalRetained EarningsAccumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)Treasury Stock   TotalBalance at December 31, 2015 ...................1,071$       391,853$   415,982$   (3,679)$              (353,855)$ 451,372$   Net earnings ...............................................99,451       99,451       Other comprehensive income, net .............95                      95              Adjustment to treasury stock for holdings in investment partnerships ........(9,939)       (9,103)       (19,042)     Exercise of stock options ...........................(8)              72              64              Balance at December 31, 2016 ...................1,071$       381,906$   515,433$   (3,584)$              (362,886)$ 531,940$   Net earnings ...............................................50,071       50,071       Other comprehensive income, net .............2,180                 2,180         Adjustment to treasury stock for holdings in investment partnerships ........116            (13,009)     (12,893)     Exercise of stock options ...........................(8)              38              30              Balance at December 31, 2017....................1,071$       382,014$   565,504$   (1,404)$              (375,857)$ 571,328$   Net earnings ............................................19,392       19,392       Adoption of accounting standards ........90              90              Other comprehensive income, net .......(1,112)                (1,112)       Conversion of common stock ................67              (67)            (20,826)     20,826       -            Adjustment to treasury stock for holdings in investment partnerships (19,292)     (19,292)     Exercise of stock options ........................(43)            92              49              Balance at December 31, 2018 ..............1,138$       381,904$   564,160$   (2,516)$              (374,231)$ 570,455$    
 
 
 
 
 
BIGLARI HOLDINGS INC. 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
(Years Ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016) 
 (dollars in thousands, except share and per-share data) 

Note 1.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies 

Description of Business 
Biglari Holdings Inc. is a  holding company owning  subsidiaries engaged in a  number of diverse business activities,  including 
media,  property  and  casualty  insurance,  and  restaurants.  The  Company’s  largest  operating  subsidiaries  are  involved  in  the 
franchising and operating of restaurants. Biglari Holdings is founded and led by Sardar Biglari, Chairman and Chief Executive 
Officer of Biglari Holdings and its major operating subsidiaries. The Company’s long-term objective is to maximize  per-share 
intrinsic value. All major operating, investment, and capital allocation decisions are made for the Company and its subsidiaries by 
Mr. Biglari.  

As of December 31, 2018, Mr. Biglari’s beneficial ownership was approximately 56.9% of the Company’s outstanding Class A 
common stock and 54.3% of the Company’s outstanding Class B common stock. 

Issuance of Dual Class Common Stock 
On  March  5,  2018,  the  Company  entered  into  an  agreement  with  its  predecessor  registrant,  now  known  as  OBH  Inc.  (the 
“Predecessor”), and BH Merger Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Pursuant to the agreement on April 30, 
2018, BH Merger Company merged with and into the Predecessor, with the Predecessor continuing as the surviving corporation 
and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.  

As a result of the April 30, 2018 transaction, the Company has two classes of common stock, designated Class A common stock 
and Class B common stock. A share of Class B common stock has economic rights equivalent to 1/5th of a share of Class A common 
stock; however, Class B common stock has no voting rights. Upon completion of the transaction, every ten (10) shares of common 
stock outstanding on April 30, 2018 converted into (i) ten (10) shares of Class B common stock and (ii) one (1) share of Class A 
common stock.  

Since May 1, 2018, the shares of the Company’s Class A common stock have traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) 
under the ticker symbol “BH.A” and the shares of the Company’s Class B common stock have traded on the NYSE under the 
ticker symbol “BH”. 

For  accounting  purposes,  the  April  30,  2018  transaction  has  been  treated  as  a  merger  of  entities  under  common  control. 
Accordingly, the consolidated financial position and results of operations of the Predecessor has been included in the consolidated 
financial statements on a historical basis, except for earnings per share which is impacted by the issuance of the new common 
shares.   

Principles of Consolidation 
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries including Steak n 
Shake Inc. (“Steak n Shake”), Western Sizzlin Corporation (“Western Sizzlin”), Maxim Inc. (“Maxim”,) and First Guard Insurance 
Company and its agency, 1st Guard Corporation (collectively “First Guard”). Intercompany accounts and transactions have been 
eliminated in consolidation. 

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash 
Cash equivalents primarily consist of U.S. Government securities and money market accounts, all of which have original maturities 
of three months or less. Cash equivalents are carried at fair value. In November 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board 
(“FASB”)  issued  Accounting  Standards  Update  (“ASU”)  2016-18,  Statement  of  Cash Flows:  Restricted  Cash.    ASU  2016-18 
requires that the statement of cash flows include restricted cash with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-
of-period and end-of-period amounts shown on statements of cash flows. In 2017, the Company deposited cash to satisfy required 
collateral for casualty insurance. 

44 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 1.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

Cash as reported on the statements of cash flows consists of the following. 

Investments 
Our investments consist of available-for-sale securities. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value with net unrealized 
gains or losses reported in the statements of earnings. Realized gains and losses on disposals of investments are determined by 
specific identification of cost of investments sold and are included in investment gains/losses, a component of other income. 

Investment Partnerships 
The  Company  holds  a  limited  interest  in  The  Lion  Fund,  L.P.  and  The  Lion  Fund  II,  L.P.  (collectively  the  “investment 
partnerships”).  Biglari  Capital  Corp.  (“Biglari  Capital”),  an  entity  solely  owned  by  Mr.  Biglari,  is  the  general  partner  of  the 
investment partnerships.  Our interests in the investment partnerships are accounted as equity method investments because of our  
retained limited partner interests. The Company records investment partnership gains (inclusive of the investment partnerships’ 
unrealized gains and losses on their securities) as a component of other income based on our proportional ownership interest in the 
partnerships.  The  investment  partnerships  are  for  purposes  of  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  (“GAAP”),  investment 
companies under the AICPA Audit and Accounting Guide Investment Companies.  

Concentration of Equity Price Risk  
The majority of our investments are conducted through investment partnerships which generally hold common stocks. We also 
hold marketable securities directly. Through the investment partnerships we hold a concentrated position in the common stock of 
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. A significant decline in the general stock market or in the prices of major investments may 
have a materially adverse effect on our earnings and on consolidated shareholders’ equity. 

Receivables 
Our accounts receivable balance consists primarily of franchisee, customer, and other receivables. We carry our accounts receivable 
at cost less an allowance for doubtful accounts, which is based on a history of past write-offs and collections and current credit 
conditions.  Allowance for doubtful accounts was $3,901 and $2,298 at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. 

Inventories 
Inventories are valued at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out method) or market, and consist primarily of restaurant food items and 
supply inventory. 

Property and Equipment 
Property  and  equipment  are  stated  at  cost  less  accumulated  depreciation  and  amortization.  Depreciation  and  amortization  are 
recognized  on  the  straight-line  method  over  the  estimated  useful  lives  of  the  assets  (10  to  30  years  for  buildings  and  land 
improvements, and 3 to 10  years for equipment). Leasehold improvements are  amortized on the straight-line  method over the 
shorter  of  the  estimated  useful  lives  of  the  improvements  or  the  term  of  the  related  leases.  Interest  costs  associated  with  the 
construction  of  new  restaurants  are  capitalized.  Major  improvements  are  also  capitalized  while  repairs  and  maintenance  are 
expensed as incurred. We review our long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying 
amounts  may  not be recoverable. For purposes of this assessment,  assets are evaluated at the  lowest level for  which there  are 
identifiable cash flows. If the future undiscounted cash flows of an asset are less than the recorded value, an impairment is recorded 
for the difference between the carrying value and the estimated fair value of the asset.  

45 

201820172016Cash and cash equivalents ..............................................................................48,557$          58,577$        75,808$        Restricted cash included in other long-term assets .............................................6,453              8,653            25                Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash ........................................................55,010$          67,230$        75,833$        December 31, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 1.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets 
Goodwill and indefinite life intangible assets are not amortized, but are tested for potential impairment on an annual basis, or more 
often if events or circumstances change that could cause goodwill or indefinite life intangible assets to become impaired. Other 
purchased intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives, generally on a straight-line basis. We perform reviews 
for impairment of intangible assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may 
not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognized when estimated future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset 
and its eventual disposition are less than its carrying value. When an impairment is identified, we reduce the carrying value of the 
asset to its estimated fair value. No impairments were recorded on goodwill or intangible assets during 2018, 2017 or 2016. Refer 
to Note 6 for information regarding our goodwill and other intangible assets. 

Operating Leases 
The Company leases certain property under operating leases. Many of these lease agreements contain rent holidays, rent escalation 
clauses  and/or  contingent  rent  provisions.  Rent  expense  is  recognized  on  a  straight-line  basis  over  the  expected  lease  term, 
including cancellable option periods when failure to exercise such options would result in an economic penalty. In addition, the 
rent commencement date of the lease term is the earlier due date when we become legally obligated for the rent payments, the date 
when we take access to the property, or the grounds for build out. 

Common Stock 
As a result of the transaction on April 30, 2018, the Predecessor’s common stock converted into the right to receive shares of Class 
A common stock and Class B common stock. The treasury shares outstanding on April 30, 2018, were retired and not converted 
into Class A and Class B common stock. The following table presents shares authorized, issued and outstanding. 

On an equivalent Class A common stock basis, there were 620,592, 620,284 and 620,158 shares outstanding as of December 31, 
2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. 

Earnings Per Share 
Earnings per share of common stock is based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year.  The shares 
of Company stock attributable to our limited partner interest in the investment partnerships — based on our proportional ownership 
during this period — are considered treasury stock on the consolidated balance sheet and thereby deemed not to be included in the 
calculation of weighted average common shares outstanding.  However, these shares are legally outstanding. 

The  Company  has  applied  the  “two-class  method”  of  computing  earnings  per  share  as  prescribed  in  ASC  260,  “Earnings  Per 
Share.”  The  issuance of dual class common  stock on  April 30, 2018 is applied on a retrospective basis  for the calculation of 
earnings per share. Accordingly, earnings per share for 2018, 2017 and 2016 are impacted by the issuance of the new common 
shares. The equivalent Class A common stock applied for computing earnings per share excludes the proportional shares of Biglari 
Holdings’ stock held by the investment partnerships.  The equivalent Class A common stock for the earnings per share calculation 
was 348,108, 368,150 and 366,678 for 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. There are no dilutive securities outstanding. 

46 

Class AClass BDecember 31, 2017December 31, 2016Common stock authorized ....................................................500,000           10,000,000      2,500,000        2,500,000        Common stock issued ...........................................................206,8642,068,6402,142,2022,142,202Treasury stock held by the Company ..................................-                  -                  (74,589)(75,009)Outstanding shares ................................................................206,8642,068,6402,067,6132,067,193December 31, 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 1.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

Revenue Recognition 
Restaurant operations 

Restaurant operations revenues were as follows. 

In  accordance  with  ASC  606-10-50,  the  Company  disaggregates  revenue  from  contracts  with  customers.  The  only  Company 
segment that was affected significantly by ASC 606 was restaurants. The Company’s accounting policies and practices related to 
restaurant operations revenues consist of the following under ASC 606. 

Net sales were composed of retail sales of food through company-owned stores. Company-owned store revenues are recognized, 
net of discounts and sales taxes, when our obligation to perform is satisfied at the point of sale. Sales taxes related to these sales 
are collected from customers and remitted to the appropriate taxing authority and are not reflected in the Company’s consolidated 
statements of income as revenue. 

Franchise royalties and fees are composed of royalties and fees from Steak n Shake and Western Sizzlin franchisees. Royalties are 
based  upon  a  percentage  of  sales  of  the  franchise  restaurant  and  are  recognized  as  earned.  Franchise  royalties  are  billed  on  a 
monthly basis. Initial franchise fees when a new restaurant opens or at the start of a new franchise term are recorded as deferred 
revenue  when  received  and  recognized  as  revenue  over  the  term  of  the  franchise  agreement.  This  represents  a  change  in 
methodology under the January 1, 2018 adoption of ASC 606 for we have historically recognized initial franchise fees upon the 
opening of a franchise restaurant. Comparative prior periods have not been adjusted. 

During the year ended December 31, 2018, restaurant operations recognized $3,096 in revenue related to initial franchise fees. As 
of December 31, 2018 and January 1, 2018, restaurant operations had deferred revenue  recorded in accrued expenses related to 
franchise fees of $9,075 and $10,581, respectively. Restaurant operations expects to recognize approximately $649 in 2019 and 
the balance in the years 2020 through 2039.   

Our  advertising  arrangements  with  franchisees  are  reported  in  franchise  royalties  and  fees.   This  represents  a  change  in 
methodology under the adoption of ASC 606 as we have historically  applied advertising funds from the franchisees directly to 
various marketing programs.  The new guidance requires the Company to recognize the marketing  contributions received from 
franchisees as revenue and record a corresponding increase to marketing expense as the funds are applied to marketing programs 
as required by our franchise agreements. 

During the year ended December 31, 2018, restaurant operations recognized $9,675 in revenue related to franchisee advertising 
fees. As of December 31, 2018 and January 1, 2018, restaurant operations had deferred revenue recorded in accrued expenses 
related to franchisee advertising fees of $2,255 and $2,064, respectively. Restaurant operations expects to recognize approximately 
$1,128 of deferred revenue during 2019 and the balance in 2020.   

Restaurant operations sells gift cards to customers which can be redeemed for retail food sales within our stores. Gift cards are 
recorded  as  deferred  revenue  when  issued  and  are  subsequently  recorded  as  net  sales  upon  redemption.  Restaurant  operations 
estimates breakage related to gift cards when the likelihood of redemption is remote. This estimate utilizes historical trends based 
on the vintage of the gift card. Breakage on gift cards is recorded as other revenue in proportion to the rate of gift card redemptions 
by vintage. This represents a change in the methodology, under the adoption of ASC 606, used to estimate breakage for we have 
historically  recognized  breakage  for  the  portion  of  the  gift  card  balances  that  remained  outstanding  following  48  months  of 
issuance.   

For the year ended December 31, 2018, restaurant operations recognized $27,081 of revenue from gift card redemptions. As of 
December  31,  2018  and  January  1,  2018,  restaurant  operations  had  deferred  revenue  recorded  in  accrued  expenses  related  to 
unredeemed gift cards of $22,685 and $20,968, respectively. The Company expects to recognize approximately $18,132 in 2019 
and the balance in the years 2020 through 2022.   

47 

201820172016Net sales ............................................................................................................740,922$        781,856$        795,322$        Franchise royalties and fees ...............................................................................30,998            20,773            18,794            Other ..................................................................................................................3,770              4,524              3,798              775,690$        807,153$        817,914$         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 1.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

Insurance premiums and commissions 
Insurance premiums are earned over the terms of the related policies. Expenses incurred in connection with acquiring new insurance 
business, including acquisition costs, are charged to operations as incurred. Premiums earned are stated net of amounts ceded to 
reinsurer.  

Media advertising and other 
Magazine subscription and advertising revenues are recognized at the magazine cover date. The unearned portion of magazine 
subscriptions is deferred until the magazine’s cover date, at which time a proportionate share of the gross subscription price is 
recognized as revenues, net of any commissions paid to subscription agents. Also included in subscription revenues are revenues 
generated from single-copy sales of magazines through retail outlets such as newsstands, supermarkets, convenience stores and 
drugstores and on certain digital devices, which may or may not result in future subscription sales. Revenues from retail outlet 
sales are recognized based on gross sales less a provision for estimated returns. License revenue is recognized when earned. We 
derive value and revenues from intellectual property assets through a range of licensing and business activities, including licensing 
and syndication of our trademarks and copyrights in the United States and internationally. 

Restaurant Cost of Sales 
Cost of sales includes the cost of food, restaurant operating costs and restaurant rent expense.  Cost of sales excludes depreciation 
and amortization, which is presented as a separate line item on the consolidated statement of earnings. 

Insurance Losses and Underwriting Expenses 
Liabilities for estimated unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses with respect to claims occurring on or before the balance sheet 
date are established under insurance contracts issued by our insurance subsidiaries. Such estimates include provisions for reported 
claims or case estimates, provisions for incurred but not reported claims and legal and administrative costs to settle claims. The 
estimates of unpaid losses and amounts recoverable under reinsurance are established and continually reviewed by using a variety 
of actuarial, statistical and analytical techniques. Reinsurance contracts do not relieve the ceding company of its obligations to 
indemnify policyholders with respect to the underlying insurance contracts. Liabilities for insurance losses of $1,891 and $1,907 
are included in accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. 

Marketing Expense 
Advertising costs are charged to expense at the later of the date the expenditure is incurred or the date the promotional item is first 
communicated. Marketing expense is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of 
earnings. 

Insurance Reserves 
We self-insure a significant portion of expected losses under our workers’ compensation, general liability, auto, directors’ and 
officers’ and medical liability insurance programs, and record a reserve for our estimated losses on all unresolved open claims and 
our estimated incurred but not reported claims at the anticipated cost to us. Insurance reserves are recorded in accrued expenses in 
the consolidated balance sheet. 

Savings Plans 
Several of our subsidiaries also sponsor deferred compensation and defined contribution retirement plans, such as 401(k) or profit 
sharing plans. Employee contributions to the plans are subject to regulatory limitations and the specific plan provisions. Some of 
the plans allow for discretionary contributions as determined by management. Employer contributions expensed with respect to 
these plans were not material. 

Foreign Currency Translation 
The Company has certain subsidiaries located in foreign jurisdictions.  For subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the 
U.S. dollar, the translation of functional currency statements to U.S. dollar statements uses end-of-period exchange rates for assets 
and liabilities, weighted average exchange rates for revenue and expenses, and historical rates for equity. The resulting currency 
translation adjustment is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income, as a component of equity. 

48 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 1.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

Use of Estimates 
Preparation  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements  in  accordance  with  GAAP  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and 
assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could 
differ from the estimates. 

New Accounting Standards 
In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other: 
Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. ASU 2017-04 provides for the elimination of Step 2 from the goodwill impairment 
test. If impairment charges are recognized, the amount recorded will be the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the 
reporting unit’s fair value  with certain limitations. The  ASU is effective for public companies  for annual periods, and interim 
periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company adopted ASU 2017-04 on January 1, 2018. 

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash.  ASU 2016-18 requires that the 
statement of cash flows include restricted cash with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-
of-period amounts shown on statements of cash flows. For public entities, this standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after 
December 15, 2017. This standard should be applied retrospectively and early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an 
interim period. We adopted this standard in 2017 and have retroactively adjusted the consolidated statements of cash flows for all 
periods presented.  

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-17, Interests Held through Related Parties That Are under Common Control. ASU 
2016-17 amends the consolidation guidance in  ASU 2015-02 regarding the treatment of indirect interests held through related 
parties that are under common control. The adoption of ASU 2016-17 did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial 
statements. 

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts 
and Cash Payments. The objective of the update is to reduce diversity in how certain transactions are classified in the statement of 
cash flows. The amendments in this update are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 
15,  2017,  and  interim  periods  within  those  fiscal  years.  The  adoption  of  ASU  2016-15  did  not  have  a  material  effect  on  our 
consolidated financial statements. 

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial 
Instruments. ASU 2016-13 amends guidance on reporting credit losses for assets held at amortized cost basis and available for sale 
debt  securities.  For  available  for  sale  debt  securities,  credit  losses  should  be  measured  in  a  manner  similar  to  current  GAAP; 
however, ASU 2016-13 will require that credit losses be presented as an allowance rather than as a write-down. The amendments 
in this update are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods 
within  those  fiscal  years.  The  Company  is  currently  evaluating  the  impact  the  adoption  of  ASU  2016-13  will  have  on  its 
consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. 

In February 2016, the FASB  issued ASU 2016-02, Leases. ASU 2016-02 requires a lessee to recognize  lease assets and lease 
liabilities on the balance sheet, along with additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual 
and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-
11,  Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements, which provides an additional transition  method  with  which to adopt the new 
leases standard. Most prominent among the changes in the standard is the recognition of right of use assets and lease liabilities by 
lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under current GAAP. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, 
with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the consolidated statement of earnings. Under the new standard, 
disclosures are required to meet the objective of enabling users of financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty 
of cash flows arising from leases. 

49 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 1.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (continued) 

The  guidance  permits  the  use  of  a  modified  retrospective  approach,  which  requires  an  entity  to  recognize  and  measure  leases 
existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented. Alternatively, the guidance permits a 
“Comparatives Under 840 Option” that changes the date of initial application to the beginning of the period of adoption. We will 
be electing the Comparatives Under 840 Option in which we will apply ASC 840 to all comparative periods, including disclosures, 
and  recognize  the  effects  of  applying  ASC  842  as  a  cumulative-effect  adjustment  to  retained  earnings  as  of  the  effective  date 
(January  1,  2019).  We  will  elect  the  package  of  practical  expedients  permitted  under  the  transition  guidance  within  the  new 
standard, which among other things, allows us to carryforward the historical lease classification. In addition, we elected certain 
practical  expedients  and  accounting  policies,  including  an  accounting  policy  election  to  keep  leases  with  an  initial  term  of  12 
months or less off of the balance sheet. We will recognize those lease payments in the consolidated statements of earnings on a 
straight-line basis over the lease term. 

The standard will have a material impact on our consolidated balance sheets, but will not have a material impact on our consolidated 
statements of earnings and statements of cash flow. The most significant impact will be the recognition of right of use assets and 
lease  liabilities  for  operating  leases.  Although  our  accounting  for  existing  capital  leases  remains  substantially  unchanged,  the 
adoption of the standard will result in the recognition of right of use assets and lease liabilities for operating leases of approximately 
$90,000 as of January 1, 2019.  

In  May  2014,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  2014-09,  Revenue  from  Contracts  with  Customers  (Topic  606).  On  January  1, 2018,  we 
adopted  FASB  accounting  standards  codification  Topic  606  (“ASC  606”).  In  accordance  with  ASC  606,  we  changed  certain 
characteristics  of  our  revenue  recognition  accounting  policy  as  described  below.  ASC  606  was  applied  using  the  modified 
retrospective method, where the cumulative effect of the  initial application is recognized as an adjustment to opening retained 
earnings at January 1, 2018. Comparative prior periods have not been adjusted.  

The following table summarizes the impact of the adoption of ASC 606 on revenues, operating expenses and net earnings for 2018. 

The impact of ASC 606 on the Company’s balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 was not material. The cumulative change in 
retained earnings as of January 1, 2018 was $90. Upon adoption of  ASC 606, the  Company changed its restaurant operations 
accounting  policies  for  the  recognition  of  franchise  fees,  recording  of  advertising  arrangements,  and  recognition  of  gift  card 
revenue. The adoption of ASC 606 did not have any significant impact on our insurance or media/licensing businesses. 

Note 2. Investments 

Available for sale investments were $33,860 and $23,289 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Investments in equity 
securities and a related derivative position of $4,463 are included in other current assets as of December 31, 2018 and in other 
assets as of December 31, 2017. The investments are recorded at fair value. 

50 

As ReportedAdjustmentsfor the Adoption ofASC 606Amounts withoutAdoption ofASC 606Statements of EarningsRevenues Restaurant operations Net sales ....................................................................................................740,922$        -$                740,922$        Franchise royalties and fees .......................................................................30,998            9,417              21,581            Other ..........................................................................................................3,770              (463)                4,233              Selling, general and administrative ...................................................................132,909          9,689              123,220          Earnings before income taxes ...........................................................................16,755            (735)                17,490            Income tax expense (benefit) ...........................................................................(2,637)             (184)                (2,453)             Net earnings .....................................................................................................19,392            (551)                19,943             
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 3.  Investment Partnerships 

The Company reports on the limited partnership interests in investment partnerships under the equity method of accounting.  We 
record  our  proportional  share  of  equity  in  the  investment  partnerships  but  exclude  Company  common  stock  held  by  said 
partnerships. The Company’s pro-rata share of its common stock held by the investment partnerships is recorded as treasury stock 
even  though  they  are  legally  outstanding. The  Company  records  gains/losses  from  investment  partnerships  (inclusive  of  the 
investment partnerships’ unrealized gains and losses on their securities) in the consolidated statements of earnings based on our 
carrying value of these partnerships. The fair value is calculated net of the  general partner’s accrued incentive fees. Gains and 
losses  on  Company  common  stock  included  in  the  earnings  of  these  partnerships  are  eliminated  because  they  are  recorded  as 
treasury stock.  

Biglari Capital is the general partner of the investment partnerships and is an entity solely owned by Mr. Biglari. 

The fair value and adjustment for Company common stock held by the investment partnerships to determine carrying value of our 
partnership interest is presented below. 

The  Company  recognized  a  pre-tax  loss  of  $306  ($193  net  of  tax)  on  a  contribution  of  $5,682  in  securities  to  investment 
partnerships during 2016.  

The carrying value of the investment partnerships net of deferred taxes is presented below. 

The  Company’s  proportionate  share  of  Company  stock  held  by  investment  partnerships  at  cost  is  $374,231  and  $354,939  at 
December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and is recorded as treasury stock. 

The carrying value of the partnership interest approximates fair value adjusted by the value of held Company stock.  Fair value is 
according to our proportional ownership interest of the fair value of investments held by the investment partnerships. The fair value 
measurement is classified as level 3 within the fair value hierarchy.   

51 

Fair ValueCompany Common StockCarryingValuePartnership interest at December 31, 2015 ........................................................734,668$        262,979$        471,689$        Investment partnership gains .............................................................................248,935          113,049          135,886          Distributions (net of contributions of $19,832) .................................................(10,896)           (10,896)           Increase in proportionate share of Company stock held ....................................19,042            (19,042)           Partnership interest at December 31, 2016 ........................................................972,707$        395,070$        577,637$        Investment partnership gains (losses) ................................................................(41,740)           (48,705)           6,965              Distributions (net of contributions of $3,707) ...................................................(5,688)             (5,688)             Increase in proportionate share of Company stock held ....................................12,893            (12,893)           Partnership interest at December 31, 2017 ........................................................925,279$        359,258$        566,021$        Investment partnership gains (losses) ...........................................................(180,517)         (220,928)         40,411            Distributions (net of reinvestments of $39,040)............................................(29,660)           (29,660)           Increase in proportionate share of Company stock held .............................19,292            (19,292)           Partnership interest at December 31, 2018 ...................................................715,102$        157,622$        557,480$        20182017Carrying value of investment partnerships ....................................................................................557,480$        566,021$        Deferred tax liability related to investment partnerships ...............................................................(92,703)           (95,309)           Carrying value of investment partnerships net of deferred taxes ...................................................464,777$        470,712$        December 31, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 3.  Investment Partnerships (continued) 

Gains/losses from investment partnerships recorded in the Company’s consolidated statements of earnings are presented below. 

On December 31 of each year, the general partner of the investment partnerships, Biglari Capital, will earn an incentive reallocation 
fee for the Company’s investments equal to 25% of the net profits above an annual hurdle rate of 6% over the previous high-water 
mark. Our policy is to accrue an estimated incentive fee throughout the year. The total incentive reallocation from Biglari Holdings 
to Biglari Capital includes gains on the Company’s common stock. Gains and losses on the Company’s common stock and the 
related incentive reallocations are eliminated in our financial statements. Our investments in these partnerships are committed on 
a rolling 5-year basis.   

There were no incentive reallocations from Biglari Holdings to Biglari Capital during 2018 and 2017. The incentive reallocation 
on December 31, 2016 was $31,628 (including $11,514 for gains on Company common stock). 

Summarized financial information for The Lion Fund, L.P. and The Lion Fund II, L.P. is presented below. 

Revenue in the above summarized financial information of the investment partnerships includes investment income and unrealized 
gains and losses on investments. 

Note 4. Other Current Assets 

Other current assets include the following. 

52 

201820172016Gains from investment partnerships ................................................................40,411$          6,965$            135,886$        Loss on contribution of securities to investment partnerships ........................-                  -                  (306)                Investment partnership gains ...........................................................................40,411            6,965              135,580          Tax expense (benefit) ........................................................................................7,171              (4,115)             44,248            Contribution to net earnings .............................................................................33,240$          11,080$          91,332$          Lion FundLion Fund IITotal assets as of December 31, 2018 ................................................................................107,207$             901,750$             Total liabilities as of December 31, 2018 ..........................................................................447$                    202,770$             Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2018 ..............................................................(92,093)$              (120,431)$            Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2018 ..............................................................(92,159)$              (130,193)$            Biglari Holdings’ ownership interest ................................................................................65.9%92.2%Total assets as of December 31, 2017 ....................................................................................203,560$             1,060,737$          Total liabilities as of December 31, 2017 ...............................................................................157$                    199,974$             Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2017 ....................................................................(13,322)$              (25,283)$              Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2017 ....................................................................(13,383)$              (35,740)$              Biglari Holdings’ ownership interest ......................................................................................64.3%92.3%Total assets as of December 31, 2016 ....................................................................................221,676$             1,109,465$          Total liabilities as of December 31, 2016 ...............................................................................2,694$                 201,460$             Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2016 ....................................................................37,098$               282,242$             Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2016 ....................................................................36,933$               273,736$             Biglari Holdings’ ownership interest ......................................................................................63.6%91.8%Equity in Investment Partnerships20182017Investment in equity security and related derivative position ..............................................4,463$               -$                  Deferred commissions on gift cards sold by third parties .....................................................3,218                 3,946                 Prepaid contractual obligations ..............................................................................................1,555                 3,068                 Assets held for sale ................................................................................................................-                    207                    Other current assets ...............................................................................................................9,236$               7,221$               December 31, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 5. Property and Equipment 

Property and equipment is composed of the following. 

Depreciation and amortization expense for property and equipment for 2018, 2017 and 2016 was $18,646, $20,706 and $21,635, 
respectively.   

The Company recorded an impairment to long-lived assets of $5,677, $1,789 and $695 during 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.  
The fair value of the long-lived assets was determined based on Level 2 inputs using a discounted cash flow model and quoted 
prices for the properties. The fair value of the assets impaired was not material for any of the applicable periods. 

Note 6. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets 

Goodwill 
Goodwill consists of the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired in connection  with business 
acquisitions.  

A reconciliation of the change in the carrying value of goodwill is as follows.   

We  are  required  to  assess  goodwill  and  any  indefinite-lived  intangible  assets  for  impairment  annually,  or  more  frequently  if 
circumstances indicate impairment may have occurred. Goodwill impairment occurs when the estimated fair value of goodwill is 
less than its carrying value. The valuation methodology and underlying financial information included in our determination of fair 
value require significant management judgments. We use both market and income approaches to derive fair value. The judgments 
in these two approaches include, but are not limited to, comparable market multiples, long-term projections of future financial 
performance, and the selection of appropriate discount rates used to determine the present value of future cash flows. Changes in 
such estimates or the application of alternative assumptions could produce significantly different results. No impairment charges 
for goodwill were recorded in 2018, 2017 or 2016.  

53 

20182017Land ................................................................................................................................146,015$           156,506$           Buildings ..........................................................................................................................142,658             152,610             Land and leasehold improvements ......................................................................................158,938             162,652             Equipment .......................................................................................................................201,738             203,145             Construction in progress ....................................................................................................1,703                1,782                  651,052             676,695             Less accumulated depreciation and amortization ..................................................................(376,336)            (380,895)            Property and equipment, net ..............................................................................................274,716$           295,800$           December 31,RestaurantsOtherTotalGoodwill at December 31, 2015 .............................................................................28,109$         11,913$          40,022$       Change in foreign exchange rates during 2016 .........................................................(19)                -                 (19)              Goodwill at December 31, 2016 .............................................................................28,090$         11,913$          40,003$       Change in foreign exchange rates during 2017 .........................................................78                 -                 78               Goodwill at December 31, 2017 .............................................................................28,168$         11,913$          40,081$       Change in foreign exchange rates during 2018 ....................................................(29)                -                 (29)              Goodwill at December 31, 2018 ...........................................................................28,139$         11,913$          40,052$        
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 6. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (continued) 

Other Intangible Assets 
Other intangible assets are composed of the following. 

Intangible assets subject to amortization consist of franchise agreements connected with the purchase of Western Sizzlin as well 
as rights to favorable leases related to prior acquisitions. These intangible assets are being amortized over their estimated weighted 
average of useful lives ranging from eight to twelve years.  

Amortization expense for 2018, 2017 and 2016 was $562, $567 and $571, respectively. The Company’s intangible assets with 
definite lives will fully amortize in 2020.  

During  2018,  the  Company  purchased  lease  rights  totaling  $2,503.  During  2016,  the  Company  purchased  lease  rights  totaling 
$3,367 and recorded an additional $1,657 indefinite life asset associated with the tax effect of the asset acquisition.     

Note 7.  Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses 

Accounts payable and accrued expenses include the following. 

Note 8. Other Liabilities 

Other liabilities include the following. 

54 

Gross carrying amountAccumulated amortizationTotalGross carrying amountAccumulated amortizationTotalFranchise agreement ............................5,310$     (4,647)$         663$        5,310$     (4,116)$       1,194$     Other ...................................................810          (774)              36            810          (743)            67            Total ....................................................6,120       (5,421)           699          6,120       (4,859)         1,261       Intangible assets with indefinite lives:Trade names ........................................15,876     -                15,876     15,876     -              15,876     Other assets with indefinite lives ........11,539     -                11,539     9,427       -              9,427       Total intangible assets .........................33,535$   (5,421)$         28,114$   31,423$   (4,859)$       26,564$   20182017December 31,20182017Accounts payable ...........................................................................................................................41,967$          40,616$          Gift card liability ............................................................................................................................22,685            27,436            Salaries, wages, and vacation ..........................................................................................................13,107            22,875            Deferred revenue .............................................................................................................................11,681            9,522              Taxes payable .................................................................................................................................11,214            10,571            Workers' compensation and other self-insurance accruals ..............................................................8,394              9,047              Other ...............................................................................................................................................8,217              8,677              Accounts payable and accrued expenses ........................................................................................117,265$        128,744$        December 31, 20182017Deferred rent expense ...............................................................................................................6,468$            6,726$            Other .......................................................................................................................................2,713              4,643              Other liabilities ..........................................................................................................................9,181$            11,369$           December 31, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 9. Income Taxes   

The components of the provision for income taxes consist of the following. 

On December 22, 2017, new federal income tax legislation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Act”), was signed into law. Effective 
January  1,  2018,  the  U.S.  corporate  federal  statutory  income  tax  rate  was  reduced  from  35.0%  to  21.0%  and  required  re-
measurement of deferred balances to the new statutory rates as of December 31, 2017.  

The Act also imposed a mandatory one-time transition tax on undistributed international earnings. We do not expect to have any 
additional  tax  liability  related  to  a  transition  tax.  The  Company  did  not  have  a  net  tax  expense  or  benefit  on  income  from 
international operations.  Earnings (losses) before income taxes derived from domestic operations during 2018, 2017 and 2016 
were $21,700, $(6,230) and $154,520, respectively.  Losses before income taxes derived from international operations during 2018, 
2017 and 2016 were $4,945, $6,660 and $8,257, respectively.  

As of December 31, 2018, we had $341 of unrecognized tax benefits, including $43 of interest and penalties, which are included 
in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. As of December 31, 2017, we had $357 of unrecognized tax benefits, 
including $29 of interest and penalties, which are included in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. Our 
continuing  practice  is  to  recognize  interest  expense  and  penalties  related  to  income  tax  matters  in  income  tax  expense.  The 
unrecognized  tax  benefits  of  $341  would  impact  the  effective  income  tax  rate  if  recognized.  Adjustments  to  the  Company’s 
unrecognized tax benefit for gross increases for the current period tax position, gross decreases for prior period tax positions and 
the lapse of statute of limitations during 2018, 2017 and 2016 were not significant. 

We  file  income  tax  returns  which  are  periodically  audited  by  various  foreign,  federal,  state,  and  local  jurisdictions.  With  few 
exceptions, we are no longer subject to federal, state, and local tax examinations for fiscal years prior to 2015. We believe we have 
certain state income tax exposures related to fiscal years 2014 through 2018.  Because of the expiration of the various state statutes 
of limitations for these fiscal years, it is possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will decrease by approximately 
$14 within 12 months. 

Deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  are  determined  based  on  differences  between  financial  reporting  and  tax  basis  of  assets  and 
liabilities and are measured using the currently enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected 
to reverse.  

55 

201820172016Current:Federal .............................................................................................................(1,688)$           544$               6,329$            State .................................................................................................................1,204              816                 1,998              Deferred ...........................................................................................................(2,153)             (64,321)           38,485            Total income taxes ..............................................................................................(2,637)$           (62,961)$         46,812$          Reconciliation of effective income tax:Tax at U.S. statutory rates ..............................................................................3,519$            (4,512)$           51,227$          State income taxes, net of federal benefit .........................................................741                 259                 3,332              Tax rate changes ...............................................................................................(1,342)             (51,707)           -                  Federal income tax credits ................................................................................(4,587)             (3,158)             (4,692)             Dividends received deduction ..........................................................................(2,142)             (6,304)             (5,851)             Valuation allowance .........................................................................................658                 742                 905                 Foreign tax rate differences ..............................................................................349                 1,598              2,249              Other ................................................................................................................167                 121                 (358)                Total income taxes ..............................................................................................(2,637)$           (62,961)$         46,812$           
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 9. Income Taxes (continued) 

Our deferred tax assets and liabilities consist of the following. 

Receivables  on  the  balance  sheet  include  income  taxes  receivable  of  $2,022  and  $751  as  of  December  31,  2018  and  2017, 
respectively.  Income  taxes  paid  during  2018,  2017  and 2016  were  $810,  $3,211  and  $6,961,  respectively.  Income  tax  refunds 
during 2018, 2017 and 2016 were $8, $0 and $233, respectively. 

Note 10. Notes Payable and Other Borrowings 

Notes payable and other borrowings include the following. 

Steak n Shake Credit Facility 
On March 19, 2014, Steak n Shake and its subsidiaries entered into a credit agreement which provided for a senior secured term 
loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of $220,000 and a senior secured revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal 
amount of up to $30,000. On October 27, 2017, Steak n Shake determined to end the use of its senior secured revolving credit 
facility. In 2017, Steak n Shake deposited cash to satisfy required collateral for casualty insurance previously collateralized by 
letters of credit issued through the revolving credit facility.   

56 

20182017Deferred tax assets:Insurance reserves ........................................................................................................................1,816$            2,011$            Compensation accruals ................................................................................................................677                 729                 Gift card accruals .........................................................................................................................2,515              3,149              Net operating loss credit carryforward ........................................................................................5,547              5,273              Valuation allowance on net operating losses ...............................................................................(4,978)             (5,031)             Income tax credit carryforward ....................................................................................................4,965              5,707              Other ............................................................................................................................................953                 629                 Total deferred tax assets ..............................................................................................................11,495            12,467            Deferred tax liabilities:Investments .................................................................................................................................92,743            95,324            Fixed asset basis difference ..........................................................................................................934                 554                 Goodwill and intangibles .............................................................................................................4,689              4,990              Total deferred tax liabilities .........................................................................................................98,366            100,868          Net deferred tax liability .................................................................................................................(86,871)$         (88,401)$         December 31,20182017Current portion of notes payable and other borrowingsNotes payable .............................................................................................................................2,200$             2,200$             Unamortized original issue discount ...........................................................................................(334)                (321)                Unamortized debt issuance costs ................................................................................................(609)                (585)                Obligations under leases ..............................................................................................................4,463               5,279               Western revolver .........................................................................................................................-                  175                  Total current portion of notes payable and other borrowings ....................................................5,720$             6,748$             Long-term notes payable and other borrowingsNotes payable .............................................................................................................................181,498$         183,698$         Unamortized original issue discount ...........................................................................................(438)                (772)                Unamortized debt issuance costs ................................................................................................(796)                (1,405)             Obligations under leases ..............................................................................................................59,737             75,473             Total long-term notes payable and other borrowings .................................................................240,001$         256,994$         December 31, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 10. Notes Payable and Other Borrowings (continued) 

The term loan is scheduled to mature on March 19, 2021. It amortizes at an annual rate of 1.0% in equal quarterly installments, 
beginning June 30, 2014, at 0.25% of the original principal amount of the term loan, subject to mandatory prepayments from excess 
cash flow, asset sales and other events described in the credit agreement. The balance will be due at maturity.  

Steak n Shake has the right to request an incremental term loan facility from participating lenders and/or eligible assignees at any 
time, up to an aggregate total principal amount not to exceed $70,000 if certain customary conditions within the credit agreement 
are met. 

Borrowings bear interest at a rate per annum equal to a base rate or a Eurodollar rate (minimum of 1%) plus an applicable margin. 
Interest on the term loan is based on a Eurodollar rate plus an applicable margin of 3.75% or on the prime rate plus an applicable 
margin of 2.75%.  The interest rate on the term loan was 6.28% as of December 31, 2018. 

The credit agreement includes customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default.  Steak n Shake’s credit facility 
contains restrictions on its ability to pay dividends to Biglari Holdings.  

The term loan is secured by first priority security interests in substantially all the assets of Steak n Shake. Disruptions in debt 
capital markets that restrict access to funding when needed could adversely affect the results of operations, liquidity and capital 
resources of Steak n Shake. Biglari Holdings is not a guarantor under the credit facility. As of December 31, 2018, $183,698 was 
outstanding under the term loan. 

Western Sizzlin Revolver 
As of December 31, 2018, Western Sizzlin had no debt outstanding under the revolver. 

Expected principal payments for notes payable as of December 31, 2018, are as follows. 

2019  ....................   $   
2020  ....................  
2021  ....................  
Total  ....................   $ 

2,200 
2,200 
179,298 
183,698 

The fair value of long-term debt, excluding capitalized lease obligations, was approximately $147,000 at December 31, 2018.  The 
fair value of our debt  was estimated  based on quoted  market prices.  The fair value  was  determined to be a Level  3 fair value 
measurement. 

Interest 
Interest paid on debt and obligations under leases are as follows. 

Note 11. Leased Assets and Lease Commitments 

We lease certain physical facilities under non-cancelable lease agreements. These leases require the payment of real estate taxes, 
insurance  and  maintenance  costs.  Certain  leased  facilities,  which  are  no  longer  operated  but  are  subleased  to  third  parties  or 
franchisees, are classified below as non-operating properties. Minimum future rental payments for non-operating properties have 
not been reduced by minimum sublease rentals of $6,850 related to operating leases receivable under non-cancelable subleases. 
The property and equipment cost related to finance obligations and capital leases as of December 31, 2018 is as follows: $56,311 
of buildings, $45,017 of land, $21,351 of land and leasehold improvements, $1,952 of equipment and $64,036 of accumulated 
depreciation.  

57 

201820172016Interest paid on debt .........................................................................................10,655$           9,969$             10,508$           Interest paid on obligations under leases ...........................................................8,207$             9,132$             9,475$              
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 11. Leased Assets and Lease Commitments (continued) 

On December 31, 2018, obligations under non-cancelable finance obligations, capital leases, and operating leases (excluding real 
estate taxes, insurance and maintenance costs) require the following minimum future rental payments. 

Rent expense is presented below. 

Non-cancellable  finance  obligations  were  created  when  the  Company  entered  into  certain  build-to-suit  or  sale  leaseback 
arrangements. As a result of continuing involvement in the underlying leases (generally due to right of substitution or purchase 
option provisions of the leases), the Company accounts for the leases as financings.  

Note 12. Related Party Transactions 

On  September  15,  2017,  the  Company  entered  into  a  services  agreement  with  Biglari  Enterprises  LLC  and  Biglari  Capital 
(collectively, the “Biglari Entities”). The Biglari Entities are owned by Mr. Biglari. The services agreement replaces the  shared 
services  agreement  between  the  Company  and  Biglari  Capital  dated  July  1,  2013.  The  services  agreement  was  executed  in 
connection  with  a  review  of  the  relationships  and  transactions  between  the  Company  and  Biglari  Capital.    After  careful 
consideration, including an assessment by a public accounting firm of administrative-related costs incurred by the Company in 
connection  with  its  investments,  the  Company’s  Governance,  Compensation  and  Nominating  Committee,  comprised  solely  of 
independent board members, approved the services agreement. Under the terms of the services agreement, the Company will no 
longer  provide  business  and  administrative-related  services  to  Biglari  Capital.  Instead,  the  Biglari  Entities  will  assume  the 
responsibility to provide the services and the Company will pay a fixed fee to the Biglari Entities.   

The services agreement has a five-year term, effective on October 1, 2017.  The fixed fee is $700 per month for the first year with 
adjustments  in  years  two  through  five.  The  services  agreement  does  not  alter  the  hurdle  rate  connected  with  the  incentive 
reallocation paid to Biglari Capital by the Company. 

Investments in The Lion Fund, L.P. and The Lion Fund II, L.P. 
As of December 31, 2018, the Company’s investments in The Lion Fund,  L.P. and The Lion Fund II, L.P. had a fair value of 
$715,102.    

58 

YearFinance ObligationsCapital LeasesTotalOperating PropertyNon-Operating Property2019 .................................................................................11,114$      55$            11,169$      17,914$      483$          2020 .................................................................................8,040          55              8,095          16,691        554            2021 .................................................................................5,925          55              5,980          16,787        578            2022 .................................................................................2,951          5                2,956          15,603        599            2023 .................................................................................1,587          -             1,587          14,071        539            After 2023 .......................................................................1,673          -             1,673          36,709        1,790         Total minimum future rental payments ...........................31,290        170            31,460        117,775$    4,543$       Less amount representing interest ...................................18,004        60              18,064        Total principal obligations under leases ..........................13,286        110            13,396        Less current portion ........................................................4,433          30              4,463          Non-current principal obligations under leases ...............8,853          80              8,933          Residual value at end of lease term ..................................50,744        60              50,804        Obligations under leases ..................................................59,597$      140$          59,737$      Operating Leases201820172016Minimum rent ....................................................................................................20,158$          18,157$          17,906$          Contingent rent ..................................................................................................1,470              1,839              1,841              Rent expense ......................................................................................................21,628$          19,996$          19,747$           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 12. Related Party Transactions (continued) 

Contributions to and distributions from The Lion Fund, L.P. and The Lion Fund II, L.P. were as follows. 

As  the  general  partner  of  the  investment  partnerships,  Biglari  Capital  on  December  31  of  each  year  will  earn  an  incentive 
reallocation fee for the Company’s investments equal to 25% of the net profits above a hurdle rate of 6% over the previous high-
water mark. Our policy is to accrue an estimated incentive fee throughout the year. In 2018 and 2017, no incentive reallocation 
was  earned.  Based  on  Biglari  Holdings’  $280,563  of  earnings  from  the  investment  partnerships  for  2016,  the  total  incentive 
reallocation from Biglari Holdings to Biglari Capital was $31,628, including $11,514 associated with gains on the Company’s 
common stock.  

Incentive Agreement Amendment 
During 2013, Biglari Holdings and Mr. Biglari entered into an amendment to the Incentive Agreement to exclude earnings by the 
investment partnerships from the calculation of Mr. Biglari’s incentive fee. No incentive fees were earned in 2018 and 2016. In 
2017, Mr. Biglari earned an incentive fee of $7,353. Under the Amended and Restated Incentive Agreement Mr. Biglari would 
receive a payment of approximately $7,000 if an event occurred entitling him to a severance payment. 

License Agreement 
On January 11, 2013, the Company entered into a Trademark License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) with Mr. Biglari. 
The License Agreement was unanimously approved by the Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee (comprised of 
independent members of the Company’s Board of Directors). In addition, the license under the License Agreement is provided on 
a  royalty-free  basis  in  the  absence  of  specified  extraordinary  events  described  below.  Accordingly,  the  Company  and  its 
subsidiaries have paid no royalties to Mr. Biglari under the License Agreement since its inception. 

Under the License Agreement, Mr. Biglari granted to the Company an exclusive license to use the Biglari and Biglari Holdings 
names (the “Licensed Marks”) in association with various products and services (collectively the “Products and Services”). Upon 
(a)  the  expiration  of  twenty  years  from  the  date  of  the  License  Agreement  (subject  to  extension  as  provided  in  the  License 
Agreement),  (b) Mr. Biglari’s death, (c)  the termination of Mr. Biglari’s employment by the Company for Cause  (as defined in 
the  License  Agreement),  or  (d)  Mr.  Biglari’s  resignation  from  his  employment  with  the  Company  absent  an  Involuntary 
Termination Event (as defined in the License Agreement), the Licensed Marks for the Products and Services will transfer from 
Mr. Biglari to the Company, without any compensation, if the Company is continuing to use the Licensed Marks in the ordinary 
course of its business. Otherwise, the rights will revert to Mr. Biglari. 

If (i) a Change of Control (as defined in the License Agreement) of the Company; (ii) the termination of Mr. Biglari’s employment 
by the Company without Cause; or (iii) Mr. Biglari’s resignation from his employment with the Company due to an Involuntary 
Termination  Event  (each,  a  “Triggering  Event”)  were  to  occur,  Mr.  Biglari  would  be  entitled  to  receive  a  2.5%  royalty  on 
“Revenues” with respect to the “Royalty Period.” The royalty payment to Mr. Biglari would not apply to all revenues received by 
Biglari Holdings and its subsidiaries nor would it apply retrospectively (i.e., to revenues received with respect to the period prior 
to the Triggering Event). The royalty would apply to revenues recorded by the Company on an accrual basis under GAAP, solely 
with respect to the defined period of time after the Triggering Event equal to the Royalty Period, from a covered Product, Service 
or business that (1) has used the Biglari Holdings or Biglari name at any time during the term of the License Agreement, whether 
prior to or after a Triggering Event, or (2) the Company has specifically identified, prior to a Triggering Event, will use the name 
Biglari or Biglari Holdings. 

59 

201820172016Contributions of cash ....................................................................................39,040$           3,707$            14,150$           Contributions of securities ..............................................................................-                  -                  5,682              Distributions of cash ......................................................................................(68,700)           (9,395)             (26,265)           Distributions of securities ...............................................................................-                  -                  (4,463)             (29,660)$         (5,688)$           (10,896)$          
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 12. Related Party Transactions (continued) 

“Revenues” means all revenues received, on an accrual basis under GAAP, by the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates from 
the following: (1) all Products and Services covered by the License Agreement bearing or associated with the names Biglari and 
Biglari Holdings at any time (whether prior to or after a Triggering Event). This category would include, without limitation, the 
use of Biglari or Biglari Holdings in the public name of a business providing any covered Product or Service; and (2) all covered 
Products, Services and businesses that the Company has specifically identified, prior to a Triggering Event, will bear, use or be 
associated with the name Biglari or Biglari Holdings. 

The Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee unanimously approved the association of the Biglari name and mark 
with all of Steak n Shake’s restaurants (including Company operated and franchise locations), products and brands. On May 14, 
2013, the Company, Steak n Shake, LLC and Steak n Shake Enterprises, Inc. entered into a Trademark Sublicense Agreement in 
connection  therewith.  Accordingly,  revenues  received  by  the  Company,  its  subsidiaries  and  affiliates  from  Steak  n  Shake’s 
restaurants, products and brands would come within the definition of Revenues for purposes of the License Agreement.  

The “Royalty Period” is a defined period of time, after the Triggering Event, calculated as follows: (i) if, following three months 
after a Triggering Event, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates continues to use the Biglari or Biglari Holdings name 
in connection with any covered Product or Service, or continues to use Biglari as part of its corporate or public company name, 
then the Royalty Period will equal (a) the period of time during which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates continues 
any such use, plus (b) a period of time after the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates have ceased all uses of the names Biglari 
and Biglari Holdings equal to the length of the term of the License Agreement prior to the Triggering Event, plus three years. As 
an example, if a Triggering Event occurs five years after the date of the License Agreement, and the Company ceases all uses of 
the Biglari and Biglari Holdings names two years after the Triggering Event, the Royalty Period will equal a total of ten years (the 
sum of two years after the Triggering Event during which the Biglari and Biglari Holdings names are being used, plus a period of 
time equal to the five years prior to the Triggering Event, plus three years); or (ii) if the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates 
cease all uses of the Biglari and Biglari Holdings names within three months after a Triggering Event, then the Royalty Period will 
equal the length of the term of the License Agreement prior to the Triggering Event, plus three years. As an example, if a Triggering 
Event  occurs  five  years  after  the  date  of  the  License  Agreement,  and  the  Company  ceases  all  uses  of  the  Biglari  and  Biglari 
Holdings names two months after the Triggering Event, the Royalty Period will equal a total of eight years (the sum of the period 
of time equal to the five years prior to the Triggering Event, plus three years). Notwithstanding the above methods of determining 
the Royalty Period, the minimum Royalty Period is five years after a Triggering Event. 

The Company and its subsidiaries have paid no royalties to Mr. Biglari under the License Agreement since its execution.  

The  actual  amount  of  royalties  paid  to  Mr.  Biglari  following  the  occurrence  of  a  Triggering  Event  (as  defined  in  the  License 
Agreement) would depend on the Company’s revenues during the applicable period following the Triggering Event, and, therefore, 
depends on material assumptions and estimates regarding future operations and revenues.  Assuming for purposes of illustration a 
Triggering  Event  occurred  on  December  31,  2018,  using  revenue  from  2018  as  an  estimate  of  future  revenue  and  calculated 
according to terms of the License Agreement, Mr. Biglari would receive approximately $19,000 in royalty payments annually. At 
a  minimum,  the  royalties  would  be  earned  on  revenue  generated  from  January  1,  2019  through  December  21,  2025.  Royalty 
payments beyond the minimum period would be subject to the licensee’s continued use of the licensed marks. 

Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies 

We are involved in various legal proceedings and have certain unresolved claims pending. We believe, based on examination of 
these matters and experiences to date, that the ultimate liability, if any, in excess of amounts already provided in our consolidated 
financial statements is not likely to have a material effect on our results of operations, financial position or cash flow.  

On January 29, 2018, a shareholder of the Company filed a purported class action complaint against the Company and the members 
of our Board of Directors in the Superior Court of Hamilton County, Indiana. The shareholder generally alleges claims of breach 
of fiduciary duty by the members of our Board of Directors and unjust enrichment to Mr. Biglari as a result of the issuance of a 
dual class structure.  

60 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies (continued) 

On March 26, 2018, a shareholder of the Company filed a purported class action complaint against the Company and the members 
of our Board of Directors in the Superior Court of Hamilton County, Indiana. This shareholder generally alleges claims of breach 
of fiduciary duty by the members of our Board of Directors. This shareholder sought to enjoin the shareholder vote on April 26, 
2018 to approve the issuance of the dual class structure. On April 16, 2018, the shareholders withdrew their motions to enjoin the 
shareholder vote on April 26, 2018. 

On May 17, 2018, the shareholders who filed the January  29, 2018 complaint and the March 26, 2018 complaint filed a new, 
consolidated complaint against the Company and the members of our Board of Directors in the Superior Court of Hamilton County, 
Indiana. The shareholders generally allege claims of breach of fiduciary duty by the members of our Board of Directors and unjust 
enrichment to Mr. Biglari arising out of the issuance of the dual class structure. The shareholders seek, for themselves and on 
behalf of all other shareholders as a class, a declaration that the defendants breached their duty to the shareholders and the class, 
and to recover unspecified damages, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest,  and an award of their attorneys’  fees  and other 
costs. 

On December 14, 2018, the Judge of the Superior Court of Hamilton County, Indiana issued an order granting the Company’s 
motion to dismiss the shareholders’ lawsuits. On January 11, 2019, the shareholders filed an appeal of the Judge’s order dismissing 
the lawsuits. 

The Company believes the claims in each case are without merit and intends to defend these cases vigorously. 

Note 14. Fair Value of Financial Assets 

The fair values of substantially all of our financial instruments were measured using market or income approaches. Considerable 
judgment may be required in interpreting market data  used to develop the estimates of fair value. Accordingly, the fair values 
presented are not necessarily indicative of the amounts that could be realized in an actual current market exchange. The use of 
alternative market assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair value.  

The hierarchy for measuring fair value consists of Levels 1 through 3, which are described below.  

  Level 1 – Inputs represent unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities exchanged in active markets.  

  Level 2 – Inputs include directly or indirectly observable inputs (other than Level 1 inputs) such as quoted prices for 
similar  assets  or  liabilities  exchanged  in  active  or  inactive  markets;  quoted  prices  for  identical  assets  or  liabilities 
exchanged in inactive markets; other inputs that may be considered in fair value determinations of the assets or liabilities, 
such as interest rates and yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates; and 
inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means. Pricing 
evaluations generally reflect discounted expected future cash flows, which incorporate yield curves for instruments with 
similar characteristics, such as credit ratings, estimated durations and yields for other instruments of the issuer or entities 
in the same industry sector.  

  Level 3 – Inputs include unobservable inputs used in the measurement of assets and liabilities. Management is required 
to use its own assumptions regarding unobservable inputs because there is little, if any, market activity in the assets or 
liabilities and we may be unable to corroborate the related observable inputs. Unobservable inputs require management 
to make certain projections and assumptions about the information that would be used by market participants in pricing 
assets or liabilities.  

61 

 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 14. Fair Value of Financial Assets (continued) 

The following methods and assumptions were used to determine the fair value of each class of the following assets recorded at fair 
value in the consolidated balance sheet: 

Cash equivalents: Cash equivalents primarily consist of money market funds which are classified within Level 1 of the fair value 
hierarchy. 

Equity securities: The Company’s investments in equity securities are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.   

Bonds: The Company’s investments in bonds are classified within Level 1 or Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy depending on the 
instrument. 

Non-qualified  deferred  compensation  plan  investments:  The  assets  of  the  non-qualified  plan  are  set  up  in  a  rabbi  trust.  They 
represent mutual funds and publicly traded securities, each of which are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. 

Derivative instruments: Options related to equity securities are marked to market each reporting period and are classified within 
Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. 

As of December 31, 2018 and 2017 the fair values of financial assets were as follows. 

There were no changes in our valuation techniques used to measure fair values on a recurring basis.   

Note 15.  Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income 

Changes in the balances of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, were as follows. 

62 

Level 1Level 2Level 3TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3TotalAssetsCash equivalents .............................21,448$ -$       -$     21,448$ 5,785$   -$       -$     5,785$   Equity securities:   Consumer goods ..........................1,708     4,100     -       5,808     2,445     -         -       2,445     Bonds ..............................................32,404   -         -       32,404   -         25,901   -       25,901   Options on equity securities ..........-         2,775     -       2,775     -         2,018     -       2,018     Non-qualified deferredcompensation plan investments ..2,149     -         -       2,149     3,459     -         -       3,459     Total assets at fair value .................57,709$ 6,875$   -$     64,584$ 11,689$ 27,919$ -$     39,608$ 20182017December 31,Foreign Currency Translation AdjustmentsInvestmentGain (Loss)AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLossForeign Currency Translation AdjustmentsInvestmentGain (Loss)AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLossBeginning Balance ..........................(1,462)$        58$            (1,404)$              (3,447)$      (137)$       (3,584)$           Other comprehensive income (loss)before reclassifications ................-             -                     195          195                 Reclassification to (earnings) loss ...(58)             (58)                     Foreign currency translation ..........(1,054)          (1,054)                1,985         1,985              Ending Balance ..............................(2,516)$        -$           (2,516)$              (1,462)$      58$          (1,404)$           20182017 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 15.  Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (continued) 

Reclassifications made from accumulated other comprehensive income to the statement of earnings were $58 of income to earnings 
during 2018 and $193 of losses to earnings during 2016; there were no reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive 
income to earnings during 2017. 

Note 16. Business Segment Reporting 

Our reportable business segments are organized in a manner that reflects how management views those business activities. Our 
restaurant operations include Steak n Shake and Western Sizzlin. The Company also reports segment information for First Guard 
and Maxim. Other business activities not specifically identified with reportable business segments are presented in “other” within 
total operating businesses. We report our earnings from investment partnerships separate from our corporate expenses. We assess 
and  measure  segment  operating  results  based  on  segment  earnings  as  disclosed  below.  Segment  earnings  from  operations  are 
neither necessarily indicative of cash available to fund cash requirements, nor synonymous with cash flow from operations. The 
tabular information that follows shows data of our reportable segments reconciled to amounts reflected in the consolidated financial 
statements.  

Revenue for 2018, 2017 and 2016 were as follows. 

63 

Foreign Currency Translation AdjustmentsInvestmentGain (Loss)AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLossBeginning Balance .....................................................................................................(2,992)$        (687)$         (3,679)$              Other comprehensive income (loss)before reclassifications ...........................................................................................357            357                    Reclassification to (earnings) loss ..............................................................................193            193                    Foreign currency translation ......................................................................................(455)             (455)                   Ending Balance ..........................................................................................................(3,447)$        (137)$         (3,584)$              2016201820172016Operating Businesses:Restaurant Operations:Steak n Shake .............................................................................................760,565$         792,827$         804,423$         Western .....................................................................................................15,125             14,326             13,491             Total Restaurant Operations ........................................................................775,690           807,153           817,914           First Guard ...................................................................................................27,628             24,943             22,997             Maxim ..........................................................................................................6,576               7,708               9,165               809,894$         839,804$         850,076$         Revenue 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 16. Business Segment Reporting (continued) 

Earnings (loss) before income taxes for 2018, 2017 and 2016 were as follows. 

A disaggregation of our consolidated capital expenditures for 2018, 2017 and 2016 is presented in the tables that follow.  

64 

201820172016Operating Businesses:Restaurant Operations:Steak n Shake ................................................................................................(10,657)$         431$                34,717$           Western ........................................................................................................2,046               1,860               2,506               Total Restaurant Operations ...........................................................................(8,611)             2,291               37,223             First Guard ......................................................................................................6,215               4,770               5,135               Maxim .............................................................................................................1,068               (439)                (10,078)           Other ...............................................................................................................635                  669                  94                    Total Operating Businesses ...............................................................................(693)                7,291               32,374             Corporate and investments:Corporate ........................................................................................................(11,286)           (16,106)           (10,241)           Investment partnership gains ..........................................................................40,411             6,965               135,580           Total corporate ...................................................................................................29,125             (9,141)             125,339           Interest expense on notespayable and other borrowings .........................................................................(11,677)           (11,040)           (11,450)           16,755$           (12,890)$         146,263$         Earnings (Loss) Before Income Taxes201820172016Operating Businesses:Restaurant Operations:Steak n Shake ................................................................................................14,982$           7,565$             8,257$             Western ........................................................................................................61                    410                  306                  Total Restaurant Operations ...........................................................................15,043             7,975               8,563               First Guard ......................................................................................................236                  43                    7                      Maxim .............................................................................................................-                  -                  42                    Other ...............................................................................................................14                    16                    51                    Total Operating Businesses ...............................................................................15,293             8,034               8,663               Corporate ........................................................................................................-                  -                  -                  Consolidated results ...........................................................................................15,293$           8,034$             8,663$             Capital Expenditures 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 16. Business Segment Reporting (continued) 

A disaggregation of our consolidated depreciation and amortization captions for 2018, 2017 and 2016 is presented in the tables 
that follow.  

A disaggregation of our consolidated asset captions is presented in the table that follows. 

65 

201820172016Operating Businesses:Restaurant Operations:Steak n Shake ................................................................................................18,180$           19,987$           20,968$           Western ........................................................................................................651                  636                  605                  Total Restaurant Operations ...........................................................................18,831             20,623             21,573             First Guard ......................................................................................................76                    56                    64                    Maxim .............................................................................................................27                    50                    409                  Other ...............................................................................................................287                  287                  431                  Total Operating Businesses ...............................................................................19,221             21,016             22,477             Corporate ........................................................................................................97                    432                  448                  Consolidated results ...........................................................................................19,318$           21,448$           22,925$           Depreciation and Amortization20182017Reportable segments:Restaurant Operations:Steak n Shake ................................................................................................................................330,100$         373,654$         Western .........................................................................................................................................16,444             17,027             Total Restaurant Operations ...........................................................................................................346,544           390,681           First Guard ......................................................................................................................................51,565             46,693             Maxim ..............................................................................................................................................18,143             19,155             Other ................................................................................................................................................19,774             20,514             Corporate .........................................................................................................................................35,987             20,520             Investment partnerships ..................................................................................................................557,480           566,021           Total assets ....................................................................................................................................1,029,493$      1,063,584$      Identifiable AssetsDecember 31, 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued) 

Note 17. Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) 

Note 18. Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information 

Capital expenditures in accounts payable at December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 were $1,776, $1,036 and $480, respectively.   

In  2018,  we  had  new  capital  lease  obligations  of  $1,000  and  lease  retirements  of  $11,557.  In  2017,  we  had  new  capital  lease 
obligations  of  $1,952  and  lease  retirements  of  $5,030.  During  2016,  we  had  new  capital  lease  obligations  of  $258  and  lease 
retirements of $1,006.  

In 2016, the Company made a non-cash contribution of securities of $5,682 to the investment partnerships and received a non-cash 
distribution of securities of $4,463 from the investment partnerships. 

66 

1st Quarter2nd Quarter3rd Quarter4th Quarter202,225$      208,739$      203,582$         195,348$        36,430          42,727          36,153             33,145            203,391        203,778        204,518           201,979          (2,611)           (8,429)           (24,902)            52,697            (1,814)           (7,539)           (13,703)            42,448            (5.15)$           (21.73)$         (39.50)$            122.53$          203,393$      212,954$      214,234$         209,223$        39,582          39,992          36,664             36,285            198,918        210,050        215,327           215,242          (25,597)         35,043          (49,926)            27,590            (15,821)         21,126          (24,700)            69,466            (42.72)$         57.27$          (66.96)$            190.05$          Net earnings (loss) per equivalent Class A share .....................We define gross profit as net revenue less restaurant cost of sales, media cost of sales, and insurance losses and underwriting expenses, which excludes depreciation and amortization.Net earnings (loss) .................................................................Net earnings (loss) per equivalent Class A share ..............For the year ended December 31, 2017Total revenues ..........................................................................Gross profit ..............................................................................Costs and expenses ...................................................................Earnings (loss) before income taxes ..........................................Net earnings (loss) ....................................................................For the year ended December 31, 2018Total revenues ........................................................................Gross profit .............................................................................Costs and expenses ................................................................Earnings (loss) before income taxes .................................... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 9.   

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure 

Not applicable. 

Item 9A. 

Controls and Procedures 

Based on an evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)), our 
Chief Executive Officer and Controller have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 
31, 2018. 

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting 

There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 
2018 that have materially affected, or that are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.  

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 

Management  of  Biglari  Holdings  Inc.  is  responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining  adequate  internal  control  over  financial 
reporting, as such term is defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Rule 13a-15(f). Under the supervision of our principal 
executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control 
over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018 as required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Rule 13a-15(c). In making 
this assessment, we used the criteria set forth in the framework in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the 
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on our evaluation under the framework in Internal 
Control—Integrated Framework (2013), our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective 
as of December 31, 2018.  

The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018 has been audited by Deloitte & Touche 
LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is included herein. 

Biglari Holdings Inc. 
February 23, 2019 

Item 9B. 

 Other Information 

None. 

Part III 

Item 10.  
Item 11.  
Item 12.  
Item 13.  
Item 14.  

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 
Executive Compensation 
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters 
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence 
Principal Accountant Fees and Services 

The information required by Part III Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 will be contained in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for 
its 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be filed on or before April 25, 2019, and such information is incorporated herein by 
reference. 

67 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of  1934, the registrant has duly caused this 
report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on February 23, 2019. 

SIGNATURES 

   BIGLARI HOLDINGS INC. 

By: 

/s/ BRUCE LEWIS 

Bruce Lewis 
Controller  

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons 
on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated, on February 23, 2019. 

Signature 

/s/ SARDAR BIGLARI 
Sardar Biglari 

/s/ BRUCE LEWIS 
 Bruce Lewis 

/s/ PHILIP COOLEY 
 Philip Cooley 

/s/ RUTH J. PERSON  
 Ruth J. Person 

/s/ KENNETH R. COOPER 
Kenneth R. Cooper 

/s/ JAMES P. MASTRIAN 
James P. Mastrian 

   Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) 

Title 

  Controller (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) 

   Director 

   Director 

   Director 

  Director 

68